WARRIORS: FourClan's Perils
by Ruthie of the Wildcats
Summary: [Sequel to Forest of Purity][Complete] A moon of bliss has passed for the newly formed FourClan...but danger lurks in the shadows and some warriors cannot be trusted. Can Tigerstar protect his Clan from the danger, a danger he once forced on others?
1. After the First Moon

**People have been yowling for a sequel to Forest of Purity, which made me very happy. That's the first story here that I've ever finished and had people ask me for more. I never knew there were so many other Tigerstar fans out there.**

**Tigerstar: Well, when you're as handsome as I am, there's no stopping the inevitable.**

**Sasha: Get over yourself, Tiggerstar. (bats his ear) It wasn't just you in that one. Keep in mind, you were sharing a spotlight with—**

**Ravenflight: (pops up behind them) Me!!**

**Sasha: Well, yes, you, and also—**

**Starshine: (appears over her other shoulder) Me!**

**Sasha: (lowers ears) You two hairballs mind shutting up long enough to let me finish my sentence? Yes, Tigerstar shared the spotlight with you, Ravenflight, and you, Starshine, but he also shared it with (pauses and looks over her shoulders) me.**

**Naturally, dear. I wish Erin Hunter'd given you more show that she really did. You're just so cool...you really should've had more to do and say. Plus, I like you and Tigerstar better as a couple. Much better than him and..._her_...**

**Goldenflower: (appears) Well, I never!**

**Ravenflight: Oh, please don't. (shoves her into a cave) Begone!**

**Good on ya, Ravenflight! XD Yeah, so without further ado, I give you the Sequel to Forest of Purity: FourClan's Perils. Featuring Sasha, Ravenflight, Starshine, and—who else—**

**Shadepaw: Me!!**

—**Tigerstar.**

**Tigerstar: YEAH!!!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tigerstar, Ravenflight and Starshine (although I own their warrior names), Sasha, Frostfur, Shadepelt, or Loudbelly—however much I may wish I did. I also do not own anything that came from the original Warriors books. Okay? Trust me, if I owned them, Tigerstar would be leader of ThunderClan and he would put all his ambition into being a good leader. And Firestar would be dead. Hate you, Firestar. XP**

Tigerstar eased his hindquarters into the air in a slow, easy stretch. The dark tabby's pink tongue curled out of his mouth in a yawn. He gave his head a few quick shakes to scatter the sleepy dew that had settled over his mind and started to wash, putting his fur in careful order. As he groomed, his mind reviewed what he had done with himself in the past moon.

The huge tom still couldn't believe that it had only been a moon since he'd returned to the forest. He'd found Sasha, his old flame, as well as a group of her rogues and three Clan elders. After some persuasion, the cats agreed to unify under the name of FourClan, and nearly every rogue took on a warrior name. FourClan was strong and growing well.

Newleaf was pushing up, fresh green against the dingy gray-brown of leaf-bare. The snows had melted and the ground was soft and moist, just as it should be. What remained of the old forest was sending out new sprouts. FourClan was growing as well.

Fishbelly had had her kits: Sparrowkit, Songkit, Wetkit, and Featherkit. They were big and healthy, showing great promise for FourClan. Sandpelt claimed she'd had a dream telling her to take up the duty of healing cats—and Tigerstar had not hesitated to give her the title of medicine cat. Her kits, Shadepaw, Cloudpaw, Leafpaw, and Whitepaw, were learning well under their mentors; the four warriors were being coached by Shadepelt on how to be Clan warriors. But probably the best news Tigerstar had was something no cat had told him. He had noticed it himself on morning.

The forest was coming back.

The prey, it seemed, was gaining an immunity to whatever the Twolegs had poisoned it with. No longer did hunts produce skinny, foul-smelling, inedible fresh-kill. Those days were behind them, it seemed. The dark tabby tom padded around the FourClan camp, his amber eyes flicking left and right as he took in the sight of his new home.

At the head of the camp sat Greatshard, the largest remaining piece of the Great Rock, where Clan leaders had once addressed cats at Gatherings. Tigerstar had made his den on the lee side of it, where another few pieces of the Rock had fallen to make a rather large sheltered spot. The earth was fertile, and moss that Tigerstar had pressed into it during a thaw had quickly multiplied. It covered the entire floor now, and was starting to creep up the walls.

Across from the Greatshard was a halfnest: the warriors den. A sleek, black shape slipped out from the Twoleg construction. Tigerstar dipped his head in greeting towards his deputy, Ravenflight. The black tomcat returned the nod. "Good morning, Tigerstar," he meowed.

"Good morning, Ravenflight," Tigerstar returned. "How goes Shadepaw's training?"

Ravenflight's amber eyes gleamed proudly. "He's wonderful," he breathed. "I've never seen a cat pick up on hunting so quickly. He's bringing down prey like no tomorrow."

"Tell him to ease up then," Tigerstar murmured. "We want the prey to replenish itself so there will be enough for later moons. Other than that, good work." He gave the deputy's ear a lick and headed back on his walk around camp.

Not far from the warriors den was the nursery, a tangle of bushes that had been cleared out inside by the combined efforts of Honeypelt, Fishbelly, Sandpelt, Frostfur, and Shadepelt. As he passed by, Tigerstar pricked up his ears. He caught the faint mewls of kits as they nursed blindly at their mother's belly. His eyes softened, and he wondered if Honeypelt would join Fishbelly in there in a few moons.

Across from the nursery was the apprentices den, a bramble-covered bush that had been burrowed under by Shadepaw and his littermates. Small piles of dirt around the entrance showed just how tedious the work was—and the den wasn't even finished yet! Tigerstar watched two white paws poke out over the lip of the tunnel, and a few heartbeats later, Whitepaw appeared. Tigerstar dipped his head in greeting to the young apprentice and turned towards the elders den.

The elders slept in another halfnest not far from the Greatshard. Tigerstar narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at the trials of keeping the elders content. Frostfur in particular, for she had been in ThunderClan to witness the full extent of the old Tigerstar's treachery. Tigerstar was grateful to Shadepaw, who seemed to be able to control the cranky old she-cat, in particular her rages. The elders were still asleep; Tigerstar could hear the muffled snores from their den.

The massive tom turned to the camp entrance...or at least, what _would_ be the entrance once a few more plants came up. He wondered briefly if he should gather a few warriors and apprentices and transplant some of the new growth. _Maybe I will,_ he thought. _After all, if we plant it now, it will only keep growing and multiplying. Maybe we should try and build the camp that way._

"Tigerstar!"

Tigerstar turned at the sound of his name. A deep purr hummed through his body, buzzing down to his paws. He touched his nose to the she-cat approaching him. "Honeypelt," he rumbled. The tawny queen licked his cheek fondly, then batted his ear like a kit.

"Come on, you big furball!" she mewed. "Cloudpaw says she wants take a patrol around the territory, and she wants you to come with her."

"Honeypelt, apprentices don't decide what their mentors do," Tigerstar reminded her. Honeypelt rolled her eyes.

"Fine, you win. Really, I want to take Cloudpaw on patrol, and I want you to come with us," she admitted. "It'll be nice...you can show her all the old boundaries. I don't know half of what you do about this place, Tigerstar."

Tigerstar looked down at the fluffy white ball of fur that was Honeypelt's apprentice, Cloudpaw. The young cat's yellow eyes blazed with excitement. Tigerstar touched noses with her gently. "All right. We'll head down near the river first and look around there."

The three cats headed to the entrance of the camp. Tigerstar was silent, thoughtful. He couldn't help thinking about the sad state of the forest. There was almost nothing left of the old Clan territories. The river had been diverted and now cut past the clearing at Fourtrees—renamed Fourstumps by a few apprentices. The ThunderClan camp had been flattened and leveled to match the rest of the land. WindClan's lands were cut in ragged chunks. Seemingly nothing had been done to alter ShadowClan's swamps.

Tigerstar stopped, flicking out his tail to keep Cloudpaw a safe distance from the roaring water. He nodded to Honeypelt, who picked up her cue. "This is the river," she explained. "Before the Twolegs came around, it flowed past what we now call High Land—the old RiverClan camp. Can you tell me where the river's source was?"

Cloudpaw's face screwed up in thought, her eyes narrowed. "Uh...Thunderfall Gorge," she mewed at length. Honeypelt nodded, her eyes warm. "But when the river was diverted, it left the gorge high and dry."

"And a good hunting spot, too," Tigerstar commented softly, his whiskers twitching. "Perhaps Honeypelt will show you there someday. It's a very nice place, Cloudpaw." He dipped his head to the tawny she-cat to continue the lesson, but Honeypelt gave his flank a nudge.

"I want you to show her the old borders, remember?" Tigerstar nodded and flicked his tail for the two she-cats to follow him.

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"And that's the territory," Tigerstar meowed, nodding to Cloudpaw. The white queen looked tired and a little muddy, but her yellow eyes blazed with excitement. She butted her head against his flank affectionately.

"Thank you, Tigerstar," she mewed. Tigerstar gave her an approving rumble, then started off towards his den.

The dark tabby passed the fresh-kill pile, which was swelling with each passing day. As he walked, Tigerheart padded up and deposited a mouse on the pile. Tigerstar nodded, and the other tabby warrior returned the nod. Shadepaw approached the pile. "Frostfur says she wants something to eat," he explained, placing a paw defensively on a thrush.

"Good work, Shadepaw. How's your training coming along?"

Shadepaw shrugged. "Well, I'm not really doing anything today," he meowed. "Ravenflight's off with Starshine—he says it's just for this afternoon. They're going to be doing...something." He glanced at the ground uncertainly. "He didn't say what." Tigerstar said nothing, but he caught the idea. _I did tell him to wait until we were settled._

"That's fine. I have a feeling I know what it is."

"Will you tell me?"

Tigerstar looked down at the scruff black apprentice. Shadepaw's green eyes were blazing expectantly. His whiskers gave an amused twitch. "When you're older," he promised. The apprentice did not reply, but the excited fire in his eyes died down a little. Giving the young cat a lick on the head, Tigerstar continued his rounds.

_So Ravenflight is finally mating Starshine,_ he mused. _Good. That means we'll have Fishbelly's litter, then Honeypelt's, and Starshine's. Three litters of kits. Three litters of apprentices._ He nodded decisively._ Good. Very good._ His amber eyes glowed happily. FourClan was growing very well.

The dark tabby tom looked around. Cats were sharing tongues in the warm afternoon light outside their dens. The fresh-kill pile was well-stocked. Shadepaw was caring for the elders. Faint scents around the camp told him Joey and Arrowstripe had taken their apprentices out. He probably had time to grab a quick nap. The thought pleased him, and Tigerstar padded into his shadowy den. He sighed contentedly and laid his head on his huge paws, slipping quickly into a light sleep.

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Yowls of alarm wailed around him, ringing through his ears in a chorus of terror and panic. He opened his mouth and tasted sour fear-scent. Familiar pelts whirled around him in a confusing tornado of color and scent and sound. Tigerstar was bewildered, unable to make sense of the raging current that surrounded him. He yowled angrily, hoping that his voice would frighten the scared cats into obedience. His voice was lost in the thunderous, rumbling howl that answered it. His hackles rose stiffly along his spine.

The FourClan leader darted towards the sounds, his ears pressed flat to his skull. He glimpsed shattered brambles, flickering shapes, and huge fangs all around him. He was utterly lost and confused, a stranger in his own Clan camp. Darkness and death surrounded him. Tigerstar gave a loud gasp and jolted awake.

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"A nightmare," he breathed as he paced before his nest. "That's all it was: a nightmare. I've looked outside more times than I can count, and the camp is fine. It was just a dream. Get a grip on yourself, Tigerstar! Get a grip!"

The dark tabby glanced wildly around his den. _Just a dream,_ he told himself over and over again in his mind. _Just a dream. Just a dream._ But it didn't feel like just a dream. It had felt real, bloody, and alive. Tigerstar poked his head out of his den another time, seeking the peace and relief of his Clan's camp. The relief evaporated as he saw Sandpelt padding towards his den. He sighed and trotted out to greet her.

"Tigerstar, I've had—"

"A terrible nightmare? Yes, so have I." Tigerstar sat down hard, and gazed around rapidly. His heart fluttered against his ribs like a pinned hawk—too hard and furious to be any other bird. His paws were still shaking. "Cats were running around, mad with fear. And there was something in the shadows...something terrible." He stopped, locking gazes with his medicine cat. "Has StarClan shown you anything more?"

Sandpelt shook her head. "No, only what you described," she replied. "I'm worried...I still don't know if this is what StarClan wants me to do. I had that dream, yes, but I don't know if I can deal with whatever else they can throw at me. Maybe this isn't what I'm meant to be..."

Tigerstar gave her a comforting lick. "You _are _the medicine cat," he assured her. "I saw how well you handled Fishbelly's kitting; no ordinary warrior could have done that as well as you did. Something you should know is that because I have shared tongues with StarClan to receive my nine lives, they also share dreams with me. You're not totally alone in this, Sandpelt. I'm here to help you."

Sandpelt dipped her head into her furry chest. Her sky blue eyes narrowed, her whiskers twitched uneasily. She looked stressed and afraid. Tigerstar pressed his flank against hers, murmuring soothingly into her ear. He felt her bury her muzzle in his thick pelt and licked her ear. "The whole Clan wants you to do well," he told her gently. "No cat's being critical of you. You are strong, and you can do this. I'll help you through as best I can."

The pale ginger she-cat nodded, pulling away from the embrace. "Th...thank you, Tigerstar," she mewed. "I got a little overwhelmed there. I'm all right now." She looked up into his eyes. "Being medicine cat is so hard."

"StarClan wouldn't have chosen you if they didn't think you could handle it," Tigerstar soothed. "Whatever these dreams mean, I'm sure it's important. StarClan is warning us of some danger that is approaching. But now we have some idea of what we need to be alert for." He stared into her eyes. "I saw huge teeth in my dream, and dark fur. Badgers, perhaps?" Sandpelt nodded. "Head back to your nest. You won't be bothered by the dream again, I promise."

"How can you be so sure?"

"StarClan has gotten their message across now. We know that something will happen to us—we don't know when or what, but we know it will." His amber eyes softened. "If StarClan thinks we need to know anything else, they will send you dreams or perhaps a sign. Go back to sleep, Sandpelt."

He watched the pale orange shape make its way back to the shadowy corner of the camp, trying to keep his cool. _Huge fangs...a broken camp...cats out of control in their fear...What does it mean?_ A shiver parted his pelt, and. Standing to his paws, Tigerstar turned back towards his den. Before he slipped into the dark shelter, his amber gaze sought Silverpelt. _Redtail, FourClan is my destiny. You and all of StarClan put these cats under my care. What am I doing wrong?_

A cold, distant star twinkled, almost mockingly. Tigerstar had never felt more alone in any of the twelve lives he had lived. He stared up at the star, his eyes wide and pleading. Suddenly, his dark den looked like the mouth of a monster, black and gaping, ready to swallow him up as soon as he went near it. His tail bristled fearfully. The dark tabby sidestepped away from the small cave, heading for the warriors den.

He slipped in quietly and stealthily, mouth open as he searched for that one soothing scent. Honeypelt. He needed her now. His eyes spotted her tawny fur curled up beside Ravenflight. Tigerstar touched his nose to her ear gently. The former rogue awoke. "Tigerstar?" she whispered sleepily.

"Honeypelt, I..." Tigerstar trailed off, uncertain of what to say. "I...I need you." He hoped she would smell his growing fear, see the light of desperation in his eyes, and hear the plea in his voice. Honeypelt blinked dreamily, her sharp white teeth baring in a small yawn. She studied him for a few moments, then nodded.

"Sure." The tawny-furred queen slowly rose to her paws and crept out of the den, following after her mate. Outside the den, Tigerstar buried his muzzle in her fur, breathing in her sweet, calming scent. "Are you going to tell me what this is about, Tigerstar?"

"StarClan sent me a dream," Tigerstar explained softly. "There was fear and cats crying out...I can't bear to be in my den alone right now..." He sighed hopelessly.

"Like an apprentice on their first night out of the nursery. So excited to finally sleep in their own nest, but once they get there, they cry for their mother the whole night," Honeypelt remarked. Tigerstar looked into her eyes, only to see faint amusement mingled with love. "But I don't see any reason not to obey. After all, you _are_ Clan leader, and I _do _love you."

Tigerstar rasped his tongue over her ear. "Thank you, Sasha," he murmured, forgetting to use her Clan name. Honeypelt said nothing, but pushed her muzzle into her flank.

"Come on, my little Tigerpaw," she teased. "Let's get you back into bed."

The two cats curled up together in a warm furry bundle. Tigerstar felt Honeypelt's head resting on his shoulder and gave her forehead a loving lick. Their tails twined together in the shadows, and Honeypelt gave a dreamy purr. "I hope we do have kits," she mewed. "I really do."

"If it doesn't work out this time, we can always try again," Tigerstar told her. His head was slowly filling with her scent and warm fur and voice. Honeypelt purred again, batting his ear affectionately. Tigerstar licked her paw on its way down.

"Yes...we always can."

Outside the den, moonlight scorched the ground silver. High above the forest, the celestial home of StarClan gleamed like chips of white ice. Owls and other night animals slipped through the new growth in search of prey and companionship. Newleaf was there, sending its blooms through the soft, moist earth. The forest was rising again.

**There. First chapter done! (dances around with Tigerstar)**

**Tigerstar: I enjoyed it. Ah, so good to be back on FFN. Hopefully I'll get more than just one chapter.**

**Oh, trust me, hon, you'll get a lot more. People like your stories. They like you.**

**Tigerstar: As I said in the beginning of this chapter: When you're as handsome as I am, there's no stopping the inevitable.**

**Sasha: You called me Sasha in there. XD **

**Actually, that was my fault. I kept wanting to write you as Sasha...and I finally gave up, which stopped the urges quite quickly.**

**Starshine: So I'm going to have kits now?**

**Maybe. I might do a third one after this story...with Tigerstar and Sasha's kits. So naturally, yours would be in there. But I don't know if they'll appear in this one because if they did, that would mean that Sasha's kits would be born, too, and that would be really confusing...(deep breath) Maybe not this time around.**

**Ravenflight: I don't care. I'm gonna be a daddy!!**

**Yep. (turns to readers) Well, here's the first chapter of the long awaited Forest of Purity sequel. Review and keep a sharp eye out for the next chapter. Ruthie, over'n'out. :) (does the anime peace sign and walks away)**


	2. Tigerheart's Rebellion

**All right! Ruthie is back:) I'm glad that people like to read about everyone's favorite former villain. I love him just as much as you do...well, actually, a little more, because I take care of him. I feed him, keep his bed clean, tidy up his litterbox...**

**Tigerstar: Lies! All lies!!**

**Shut up and finish your breakfast, will you, Tiggerstar? **

**Tigerstar: Okay. (goes back to eating)**

**Anyways, we get to go on to chapter two!! Yay Chapter Two!! **

**Moletail: Thanks! I'm glad you liked Forest of Purity (I did, too), and I'm glad you're a Tigerstar fan as well.**

**Nameless Nightmare: You always have liked my fanfictions. :) And I always have liked yours. Glad you like this one so far! Although, in my opinion, the title is pretty awkward.**

**DarkPelt: Thank you much, DarkPelt. ;) I've decided to go with your idea.**

**Blackstar: Yay!! You came back! Yeah, when they're typed, the chapters come out to be something like 8 or 9 pages. That's pretty long.**

_Ravenflight's POV_

The strengthening sun was warm on Ravenflight's black pelt as he padded out of his den. The dark tom couldn't help wondering just what greenleaf would be like, with half the trees in the forest gone. He shook away the thoughts. No, he shouldn't be worrying about that just yet. He had more important things to think about, like which cats should go on which patrols. He glanced up at the sky, nodding. The sun was about halfway up in the sky.

_Tigerheart, Arrowstripe, Whitepaw and maybe_ _Joey, too for the sunhigh patrol,_ he thought as he made his way toward the fresh-kill pile. _I should tell them. That should give me some time to train Shadepaw. Don't need any hunting patrols._ He nodded approvingly at the pile of prey. _Let's see, what else? Some cat should probably care for the elders...Leafpaw, maybe._

_It's a lot of work being deputy, but I can't let Tigerstar down. All right, so that's a patrol, the elders, apprentice training...am I missing anything? I don't think so. If anything comes up, I'm sure some cat will tell me._ The black tomcat nodded to himself, satisfied that his duties were balancing out so nicely.

Movement beside the Greatshard attracted his attention. Ravenflight turned to see Tigerstar leave his den, followed closely by Honeypelt. He couldn't help an amused purr. _Sharing a den. Aren't they _already _waiting for kits?_

Tigerstar leapt atop the jagged rock and yowled loudly, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Greatshard for a Clan meeting!" Honeypelt backed off to sit below the rock quite close to—Ravenflight noted with a flicker of annoyance—the deputy's seat. He shrugged it off and sat down in his spot to watch the rest of FourClan assemble.

It didn't take long for the Clan to gather. Ravenflight scanned the small crowd, his amber eyes seeking out Starshine, his mate. His muscles surged with joy at the memory of the previous afternoon. He wondered if Starshine would bear kits later that year. _By greenleaf, there will be lots of little Tigerstars and Ravenflights running around the camp,_ he thought with a tickle of amusement.

"Cats of FourClan," Tigerstar began, "last night, StarClan spoke to Sandpelt, and delivered her a very mysterious dream." Ravenflight was confused. He wasn't sure if Tigerstar should be announcing StarClan-given messages to the whole Clan. One ear twisted uncomfortably. "Neither of us know exactly what was meant by it, but until we learn more, we should take a few precautions."

Cats began murmuring excitedly amongst themselves, murmurs that soon grew into loud conversations. Fear-scent started to fill the air. Honeypelt gave a low rumble that set the Clan silent. Ravenflight growled under his breath. _He_ was the deputy, _he_ silenced the Clan if Tigerstar didn't first.

"Now, keep in mind that we have nothing to fear," Tigerstar continued. "However, I think it is a good idea that we all prepare ourselves for danger." He looked down. "Ravenflight, I would like to speak to you in my den after this meeting that we may plan further." Ravenflight nodded. Good. Tigerstar still recognized _him_ as the deputy, despite whatever Honeypelt did. Tigerstar nodded and gazed back at FourClan. "Patrols will keep a sharp eye out for anything unusual: pawprints, monster tracks, signs of any strange animals or Twolegs. Apprentices may only leave the camp if they are accompanied by a warrior." His amber stare swept the cats below him. "Is that clear?"

Ravenflight watched the other cats start nodding. Tigerstar dipped his head. "Good. Then the meeting is over. Sandpelt, could you join Ravenflight and myself in my den?" The medicine cat nodded, and Tigerstar leapt down from Greatshard. He touched noses with Honeypelt. The tawny she-cat returned the touch and padded away. Tigerstar flicked his tail for Ravenflight and Sandpelt to join him in the small cave of his den.

The black tomcat blinked hard a couple of times to adjust his eyes to the dimmer light. The den smelled faintly of Honeypelt—and not of anything to suggest they had mated the previous night. "What's wrong, Tigerstar?" he asked. The dark tabby sat stiffly upright in his nest, his amber eyes slitted.

"Ravenflight, I must confess something to you," Tigerstar meowed. "It was not just Sandpelt who had the dream last night. I did as well."

"That's why you had Honeypelt in with you?" Tigerstar nodded.

"Yes. It was...not so much a dream as it was a pure nightmare." The brown tabby's hackles started to rise. "I saw all of FourClan running and fighting for their lives. The air smelled of fear and blood, and something else...something that should be familiar to me, but I just can't place it..."

Ravenflight glanced over at Sandpelt. The pale ginger queen shrugged hopelessly, her pale eyes spelled confusion. He shifted his gaze over to Tigerstar. "Tigerstar, as your deputy, I am obligated to protect the Clan—and you—with my life. I don't know what it is StarClan wants us to fear, but whatever it is, I will do whatever I can to protect FourClan against it."

Tigerstar sighed with relief and rubbed his muzzle against Ravenflight's. "That's why I made you deputy," he murmured. "Thank you, Ravenflight." His amber eyes looked up past the black tom's, focusing on something just above his head. Ravenflight knew. The old snip taken from his ear by Tigerstar—given before the dark tabby had changed his ways. Ravenflight gave Tigerstar's nicked ear a playful bat.

"Stop staring like a scared rabbit," he purred. "It's nothing, really. All right, is that all you needed?" Tigerstar shook himself briskly, nodding. "Good. I'm going to take Shadepaw out today, if that's all right."

"Yes. How about patrols?"

"Sunhigh: Tigerheart, Arrowstripe and his apprentice, possibly Joey."

"Good. Whitepaw will have three warriors to keep her safe." Tigerstar nodded a few times to himself. Ravenflight tilted his head to the side.

"Is there something you're not telling—"

"No. No, it's fine." Tigerstar sighed, gazing at the wall of his den. "Yes, you can go now if you want, Ravenflight." Ravenflight studied his former mentor a while longer before nodding.

"All right, but if you need me, you know how to reach me." The sleek black tom turned and padded from Tigerstar's den. Confusion buzzed through his mind like a swarm of angry bees. _StarClan sent Tgerstar the dream as well? That can't be good. What is there for us to fear, though? The Twolegs are gone, the Clans are too, the forest is practically empty except for us!_ He shook his head. _I'm getting too worked up over this. If I'm this tense with Shadepaw, we won't get anything done!_ He shook his pelt out, rippling it like a flock of migrating birds.

"Ravenflight!" Shadepaw mewed, running forwards to touch noses with his mentor. Ravenflight purred. "Are we going out today? What are we doing?"

"Whoa, whoa, settle down," meowed Ravenflight, pulling his head into his shoulders like a turtle. "Yes, I'm taking you out for training today. We've been working on hunting for a while now. How about some fighting?"

Shadepaw pounced from side to side, the up on his hindpaws in a crady dance. "Let's go, let's go!" he cried happily. "I heard Tigerstar used to be your mentor, Ravenflight. Are you going to teach me to fight like Tigerstar?"

"We'll see. Wait just a little longer. I have to ready the patrols." Ravenflight spotted Tigerheart at the fresh-kill pile, gazing at it longingly. Ravenflight knew why—the tabby warrior hadn't been out hunting yet. "Tigerheart! I want you to lead the sunhigh patrol," he called. Tigerheart jerked up his head.

"I was going to go hunting with Whitepaw," he protested. His green eyes were clouded with uncertainly. He was older than Ravenflight, and a good bit heavier. The FourClan deputy could understand why taking orders from a cat who should be his subordinate was a little tough to get used to.

"Take her with you, then."

"Who else? I want to have Nightfur with me."

"I was planning on you going with Arrowstripe and Joey," Ravenflight told him. Shadepaw's dark fur flickered out of his vision. The black tom was doing an impatient dance. _Just a little longer, Shadepaw,_ Ravenflight promised him mentally. _I just have to convince this stuck hairball that he has to follow my orders._ "Nightfur took the moonhigh patrol last night, remember? I want him to rest up before he goes out doing anything else."

Tigerheart's eyes narrowed. "Nightfur is one of my oldest friends," he snarled. "I don't like Arrowstripe and Joey. Arrowstripe is too full of himself and Joey talks too much."

Ravenflight took a deep breath to force his hackles smooth. He was the deputy. He shouldn't lose his temper with other cats. He had to be a model warrior. "I never said you had to like it," he gritted through clenched fangs. "I just said for you to do it."

"Maybe I won't. After all, you're not so tough."

"Fine!" Ravenflight exploded furiously as Tigerheart turned his back on him. "And maybe you'd like to explain to Tigerstar why the sunhigh patrol didn't go out! You don't have to like me, Tigerheart, but you _do_ have to listen to me and do as I tell you!" He spun around. "Come on, Shadepaw." The black tom stalked angrily out of camp, his tail stretched out stiffly behind him, the fur on his shoulders starting to rise slowly. As he neared the entrance, his flattened ears pricked up. Tigerheart could be heard murmuring to himself.

"Easy for him! He gets to sit back and do nothing while us hard-working warriors do it all. I wonder if there's a way I could get him out of being deputy..."

"Keep dreaming, Tigerheart!" Ravenflight spat without turning around, satisfied when he head the tabby's hiss of surprise. He nodded to Shadepaw and left the camp without missing a beat. Tigerheart still had the mind of a rogue—something that would have to watched in the near future. But for here and for now, he had to work on calming himself down. If he was bitter about Tigerheart, he might accidentally hurt Shadepaw.

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**  
**"Attack me," Ravenflight ordered. Shadepaw looked uncertain.

"Uh...how? Like, do you want me to just jump at you, or try and take you by surprise, or—"

"It doesn't matter. However you want to."

The two cats were a little further away from camp than the normal training area: a bramble thicket not far from where Owl Tree had once stood. Ravenflight needed to walk off his frustration at Tigerheart's attitude, so he had taken Shadepaw a little further away from the camp, to Thunderfall Gorge, to train. The two toms were crouched in the hollow where the furious river had once roared—the same river that was now a distant rumble.

The black-furred tomcat lashed his tail. "Think of me as a fox," he meowed. "I've just broken into FourClan camp, and am I hungry! I sniff the air," and he did just that, "and I smell kits. I prowl," he started stalking stealthily to the side, "towards the nursery, drooling and growling with hungry anticipation...What do you—" His last word became a sharp yowl of surprise as Shadepaw leapt fiercely at him.

"You'll never get FourClan's kits, fox!" the young cat shouted, battering Ravenflight's sleek back with his hind paws, while his front ones burrowed between the larger cat's shoulders and neck. Ravenflight growled a fox growl and reached up a paw to smack at his apprentice. Shadepaw darted back, keeping his weight neatly on the tips of his toes. Ravenflight felt a glimmer of pride. All of Shadepaw's nervous dancing had given the tom incredible balance and agility.

"Oh yes I will!" Ravenflight retorted. He darted toward Shadepaw, a dark paw stretching out to sweep the apprentice off his paws. Shadepaw crouched low, then bounced up to land on Ravenflight's back. He gave his mentor's tail a gentle nip before springing away. Ravenflight whirled around quickly, eyes flicking left and right for Shadepaw. The black tom was nowhere to be seen. "Shadepaw...?"

"Yah!!" Warm, furry weight descended heavily on Ravenflight's back, bringing him down onto his belly. "There! You won't steal any kits now, you pesky fox!"

Ravenflight gave a panting cough as dust from the gorge's bottom entered his lungs. Shadepaw stepped off of him, mewing in concern. "That was incredible, Shadepaw," Ravenflight murmured. "You were everywhere at once...I would have been in trouble if you'd been using your claws and teeth for real!"

Shadepaw purred, ears and whiskers twitching with pleasure. "I guess it's just the way I grew up," he mewed. "It's hard being a rogue and living in Twolegplace." He touched his nose to Ravenflight's. "And I can only get better with you teaching me, Ravenflight!"

Ravenflight purred. He forgot, at least for the moment, that he would have to deal with Tigerheart when he returned to camp. For now, all of his attention was on his apprentice—Shadepaw, who hunted and fought twice as well as any of his sisters. _Maybe it's from having a Clan cat for his mentor,_ he decided. _Or maybe he's just brighter than they are. It doesn't matter. He's incredible._

"Well, I think we can safely say that there's nothing wrong with your fighting skills," he puffed, pushing himself to his paws and gliding into a slow stretch. "What would you like to do? I don't need to be back at camp until after sunhigh."

"Maybe just look around the territory," Shadepaw suggested. "I know I've seen it all, but...I just like seeing how everything's growing. I've heard all about how the forest used to look, now I want to see how it looks now."

"All right." Ravenflight shook the sandy soil from his pelt and blinked upwards. He flicked his tail for Shadepaw to head out of the gorge first. The black tom obeyed, leaping neatly onto the first of many climbing nooks that led the way up to level ground. Ravenflight watched him silently, tail swaying lightly out behind him.

Once Shadepaw was up at the lip of the canyon, Ravenflight followed. "Lead the way," he meowed. "You can decide where we're going. The walk was your idea, so you get to decide what we do for it." Shadepaw nodded, green eyes sparkling happily at the thought of leading his mentor around. The two cats set out to inspect the new growth.

**.-.  
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FourClan's dark deputy trotted into the camp, his ears pricked curiously. The camp was...strangely empty. Nodding to Shadepaw to let him know he could return to his den, Ravenflight padded over to the warriors den. His eyes squinted as he poked his head into the shadowy halfnest. Colors turned unnatural hues of green and brown as his amber eyes adjusted to the change in lighting. He spotted the shape of a sleeping Honeypelt and prodded her gently with a paw.

"Wha...sn..." The former rogue lifted her head, blinking sleepily. Her sleep-clouded eyes cleared as she recognized her deputy. "Oh! Ravenflight! What is it?"

"Did Tigerheart leave on the sunhigh patrol?" asked Ravenflight. Honeypelt yawned.

"I think he did," she replied. "I mean, I took Cloudpaw out for some pretty serious training around the time you and Shadepaw left camp. We were both exhausted when we came back, so I told her she could grab a few winks." Her gaze turned suspicious. "Why? Did something happen between the two of you?"

Ravenflight felt his pelt start to prickle at the memory of his argument with Tigerheart. He looked away. Honeypelt seemed to understand. "Well, anyways, I'm sorry I'm not much help to you." She glanced across the camp, her eyes focusing on something just over Ravenflight's right shoulder. "Starshine is over by the fresh-kill pile. I think she might know more."

Ravenflight dipped his head in thanks before padding towards his mate. The silver tabby blinked up from the pile of prey. "No shortage of caught...of fresh-kill," she mewed, correcting herself quickly. Ravenflight shrugged.

"Call it caught-prey if you want," he told her. "I need to ask you about something, Starshine. Did you see Tigerheart leave with a patrol?"

Starshine narrowed her yellow eyes in thought. "Well, he did come into the warriors den looking very frustrated," she replied. "He sort of bullied Nightfur into wakefulness and the two of them left." Her tailtip twitched. "He left pretty quickly."

"Was Arrowstripe, Whitepaw, or Joey with him?"

"No...not that I saw. Those three looked pretty unsure of what to do—I think they overheard that you wanted them for a patrol. Honeypelt came over and told Joey he could go with Arrowstripe and watch him train with Whitepaw. She said something about how he could see how to be a mentor if one of Fishbelly's kits was apprenticed to him."

Ravenflight nodded. "Do you know where they went?" he asked. Starshine shrugged.

"Probably to the training hollow. Joey actually looked pretty happy." She let out a short _mrrow_ of amusement. "Probably at the thought he would be a mentor in a few moons." Her yellow eyed opened and studied her mate thoroughly. "Is something wrong?"

Ravenflight sighed, and Starshine licked behind his ears soothingly. "Tigerheart seems to think that just because he's older and bigger, he doesn't need to listen to me," he meowed sadly. "I told him to go on patrol with Arrowstripe, Joey, and Whitepaw. He said he hated the other two and wanted to go with Nightfur...I told him Nightfur was resting, and...well, we didn't part on good terms."

"So you are worried he will do something reckless."

"Well...yes, I guess so."

"And you also worry that Tigerstar won't be pleased to find out a warrior disobeyed you."

"Yes."

Starshine rubbed her muzzle gently along Ravenflight's black cheek. She sighed softly. "Ravenflight, you can't change the heart of a rogue," she whispered sweetly. "We took a lot of those cats into FourClan. Some of them—like Honeypelt, Sandpelt, Arrowstripe, and the apprentices—had no trouble adapting to life under one leader and one deputy. Others, though...well, their minds still believe that they are the leader of themselves."

Ravenflight sighed again, dropping his head wearily onto Starshine's shoulder. "I know," he replied softly, "but I wish they'd just accept that they have to live by the warrior code now." His eyes narrowed angrily. "And I wish that tabby fool Tigerheart would fall in the river and drown!"

"Don't wish ill fortune on others," Starshine breathed. She twined his tail with hers. "Tigerheart is nothing but a rebellious piece of foxdung, yes, I know. But he is your Clanmate, just as much as I am. Why don't you tell Tigerstar what's happened, and let him handle it? There's no denying that Tigerstar is much larger and older than Tigerheart; perhaps he'll listen to him."

"You're right." Ravenflight touched his nose with his mate's. "Thank you, Starshine. I was just a little annoyed at Tigerheart for disobeying me so openly...Well, actually, more than a little, and a much stronger emotion than 'annoyed.'" He hummed a short, annoyed note under his breath. "Hm. But thank StarClan for Tigerstar. If Tigerheart won't listen to _him_...than Clan life is not his life."

The black tom scurried towards Greatshard. He could tell by the faint scent trails around the camp that the FourClan leader had left camp for a while, then returned for a short nap. Ravenflight paused at the entrance to Tigerstar's den. He caught a whiff of mouse and upturned dirt, and decided his leader was eating and renovating his den. "Tigerstar?"

There was a short pause, then, "Come in, Ravenflight."

Ravenflight stepped warily into the cool darkness of the den. Tigerstar was seated on his nest of moss, his long banded tail curled around his paws. "What is it, my deputy?" the big tabby asked.

"I need to talk to you about Tigerheart," Ravenflight began. Tigerstar gave an encouraging nod. Ravenflight told the huge tabby everything about his disagreement with the warrior, carefully avoiding outright accusing Tigerheart of disrespect. When he had finished, Tigerstar nodded.

"I'll have a word with him," he meowed. Ravenflight felt comforted by that deep, mellow voice. He felt as if Tigerstar's words were hot fresh-kill on a freezing day in leaf-bare: warm and satisfying. He nodded gratefully, his eyes narrowed in respect. "You are young, Ravenflight, but you have proved yourself worthy of being my successor...and I can't forget our journey together."

"Neither can I, Tigerstar," Ravenflight murmured, looking up from the floor. Amber eyes met, glowing warmly in the low light of the den. The black tom felt as if he could sit here in that understanding gaze forever, and never have to deal with Tigerheart again. A paw tapping the front wall of the den caused Ravenflight to twist around.

"Ravenflight?" Honeypelt mewed. "Tigerheart's patrol has returned...and he doesn't seem bothered by the fact that you're with Tigerstar. I think you should come out here."

Ravenflight hissed softly. He felt Tigerstar's pelt brush against his. "I'll come out as well," the FourClan leader whispered. "Tigerheart should be confronted immediately." The black tomcat nodded and left the den, Tigerstar behind him.

Tigerheart sat in the center of the camp, practically bursting with excitement. Nightfur was lying beside him, his ears flat with anger. Cats were starting to gather around the brown tabby, their faces confused. Ravenflight stepped up to stand about a tail-length from Tigerheart. "How was the patrol?" he asked delicately, trying to keep the tone of _The patrol you completely disobeyed my orders on_ out of his meow. Tigerheart narrowed his eyes and spoke instead to the cats around him.

"Gather close, FourClan, for I, Tigerheart, have found something very, very important on our territory."

**Ravenflight: I...Am...Going...To...Kill...That...Son...Of...A...Badger!!!**

**Tigerstar: (puts a paw on his tail) Ease up, Ravenflight. Ruthie won't let him walk too much over you. I'm sure she'll write in his just rewards soon enough.**

**True. Very true. Don't worry, Ravenflight, he's a total jerk to you, and then you get to have your revenge. I won't let him walk for that! You're, like, my eighth favorite character!**

**Ravenflight: Oh, well _that _makes my day.**

**I think it's Tigerstar...Then Bluestar...Then Graystripe...Then Squirrelflight...Then Brambleclaw...Then Brightheart...Then...Well, you get the idea. You rank just before Longtail. And I mean the Longtail in the fifth and sixth books. The _nice_ Longtail.**

**Sasha: Oh, Ruthie...you weren't suggesting anything between Ravenflight and my man, were you?**

**Oh, of _course_ not, hon. I don't really like gay cats...except in my parodies. No, Tigerstar and Ravenflight were just having a "moment." No, Tiggerstar's still all yours. (turns to readers) I know it sounded like Ravenflight was coming onto Tigerstar near the end there, but he wasn't. Okay? They're just super-good friends, and Ravenflight is comforted by that friendship.**

**Tigerstar: I would _never_ fall in love with that scrawny furball.**

**Ravenflight: Hey!! (starts to chase Tigerstar around with Ruthie's _katana _in his mouth)**

**Sasha: Ah...just like old times, eh, Ruthie?**

**You said it. (sits back in a random lawnchair to watch them run)(holds up a bottle of Dr. Pepper) You want any, Sash?**

**Sasha: Nah, I'm cool. **

**All right. (happy sigh) Well, let's just sit back, relax, and wait for some reviews.**


	3. Disobedience, Dogs, and the New Tigerpaw

**(Hours pass, and still Ravenflight chases Tigerstar. However, as with all of the little "chases" that occur within Ruthie's fanfiction, they two chasers are starting to run out of steam. Ruthie reached out with a foot and trips Ravenflight. The black tomcat loses his pilfered _katana_ in his fall. Tigerstar stumbles, landing across his back.)**

**That's enough of that. Honestly, you two are terrible!**

**Tigerstar: ...Not...my...fault...You...wrote...it...**

**Ravenflight: ...Oh, the...intended...slashiness...**

**Come off it, will you? I made it a point to clarify that Ravenflight was not coming onto you, Tigerstar. I said it before and I'll say it again: I'm only okay with gay cats in parodies. And that one Ashfur-Sootfur fic. That one was so cute.**

**Sasha: I don't even want to know. Well, Ruthie, are we ready to move on?**

**Sh! (points to a sleeping Tigerstar and Ravenflight)(whispers) We might have to wait a while, dear. They're pretty much out of it. I'd offer to have you do a chapter, but then again, I wanted to keep it mostly under Tigerstar's POV.**

**Sasha: Understood. Do you have an outline this time?**

**...No...**

**Sasha: (shock) Wh...Why not?**

**I dunno. (shrug) It just didn't seem like a necessary thing to me this go-round. I mean, a lot of my fanfictions are written off the top of my head. Floodtide, Fire and Water, Shaded Promises, Saga of Fishkit, eh...list keeps going. Forest of Purity was special. Wanted it to be, like, perfect.**

**Sasha: I can't believe you, Ruthie!**

**Ah, but you like me anyways. Come on, let's stare at Tigerstar until he wakes up.**

**Sasha: Ooh! Fun!**

**(The two females—both a cat in some way or another—sneak over and put their faces right up in front of Tigerstar's. The dark tabby twitches, opens one eye, then stumbles back with a yowl of surprise.)**

**Happy Birthday!!**

**Tigerstar: It's not my birthday.**

**Did I say it was? You must have overslept—you're not making any sense, Tigerstar.**

**Tigerstar: I...wha?**

**Sasha: Man, confusion and everything! You're were out cold for hours, Tiggerstar. Sleep's important, but there's such a thing as too much of a good thing.**

**Tigerstar: Ha...I guess so...?**

**Yeah. You need to work off some of that extra sleep, pal. I know exactly what you need. A good fanfiction chapter! That should really perk you up. Come on! I'm all ready for you! Let's start that chapter!**

**Tigerstar: Well...All right, if you say so.**

**Oh, and a quick PS—Spottedstar, if you're there and reading this, let me tell you right now that I liked your hyperactive caps lock reviews a lot more than the sane ones. They made me laugh...usually when I needed it.**

_Tigerstar's POV_

Tigerstar pushed gently past Ravenflight, his amber eyes narrowing in suspicion. He glanced down at the agitated Nightfur, up to the prideful Tigerheart. "Really now?" he meowed, keeping his tone carefully neutral. "What is that?"

Tigerheart jumped at being addressed directly by his leader. His green eyes blazed. "I patrolled the old WindClan border," he replied, "with none other than my best friend, Nightfur." _Who Ravenflight told you to leave asleep._ "We came across scraps of rabbit there—Barley has been stealing our prey, I'm sure!"

A few former rogues—Arrowstripe, Joey, Leafpaw—chorused an angry yowl, backed hesitantly by Starshine and Whitepaw. Honeypelt hissed to silence them, her tawny fur bristling angrily in defense of the loner. Tigerstar felt a tide of warmth towards his mate. "Honestly, Tigerheart," she spat, "I don't know what's dumber: your accusations or you! Barley lives on a _farm_, in a barn bursting with fat mice. Why in the name of StarClan would he come all that way to steal forest prey?"

"Besides," Ravenflight added, "Barley's not exactly young anymore. He remembers when a certain cat called Loudpaw went to Highstones to be recognized by StarClan as Loudbelly. If he remembers that, then he's older than one of our elders." The black tom gave Loudbelly a swift nod of respect. "He never leaves the barn anymore—his joints are getting stiff."

Tigerheart scowled at the black deputy. "But if Barley didn't take the rabbit, who did?" he demanded. "There aren't any other cats in the forest! All the rogues joined this _Clan_." He spat the last word as if uttering some sort of curse. Tigerstar pricked up his ears stiffly keep them from flattening. He longed to growl, _No cat's holding you here, Tigerheart._ He didn't like this cat's attitude.

"We'll keep an eye on it," he forced himself to say. "Thank you for taking the patrol out. However, I would like to speak with you privately once the others have left."

"Yes, Tigerstar." Tigerheart, subdued, nodded his head in respect and obedience. Tigerstar felt his hackles prickle. Just as he'd expected: Tigerheart still held onto the rogue belief that might was right. _He's only doing this because he knows a cat of my size could flay him in a heartbeat._

Ravenflight flicked his tail at the crowd of FourClan cats. "All right, enough!" he meowed loudly. "Nothing to see. Return to your duties, unless you want me to give you something to do!" The cats dispersed quickly, murmuring excitedly to each other about the recent confrontation.

Tigerstar sighed and flicked his head for Tigerheart to follow him into his den. He settled down on the soft moss while the brown tabby crouched in front of him. "Tigerheart, do you understand the meaning of the term 'deputy'?" he began. Tigerheart narrowed his eyes and looked away.

"Yes," he muttered. "But I prefer listening to a cat who can lead."

"Something for you to keep in mind: I won't always lead FourClan." Tigerstar kept his amber gaze centered firmly on Tigerheart's face, no matter how the other tomcat tried to turn his head. "And when that day comes, you will answer to Ravenstar, whether you like it or not."

"But Tigerstar—"

"No buts." Tigerstar flicked his tail up, cutting Tigerheart off. "Just as it dictates obedience to the leader, so does the warrior code dictate obedience to the deputy. Ravenflight may be younger and smaller than you, but he has authority that you do not. If you cannot accept this, then perhaps Clan life is not for you." His eyes glinted in the low light of the den. "Think of the Clan as a tree."

"A tree?"

"Yes. Or some other kind of plant. A tree needs strong roots, roots that will hold firm under stress and strain. A Clan needs a strong leader to hold it firm. However, a root will not last forever—and neither will a leader. Andjust as trees have more then one root, the Clans have a deputy who will fill the leader's pawprints someday." Tigerstar paused. "Trees need branches that will stretch up to the sky and bring light to the tree's leaves. A Clan needs warriors who will stretch out and extend the Clan's power." He stamped a paw firmly on the ground, causing Tigerheart to jump. "If you are not content to be a branch, then you may always do what a branch under too much pressure will do."

"What is that?"

Tigerstar sketched a small tree in the dirt with a long claw, taking care to present the roots, branches, and leaves. He looked up at Tigerheart and pointed with his claw to one of the limbs. "You can split from the tree." And with that, he swiped a paw over the branch's base, separating it from the tree. Tigerheart flinched, as if the visual metaphor had struck him a little too hard. "No cat will judge you if that is what you choose."

"I will stay with the tree, Tigerstar," he murmured, not meeting his leader's gaze. "But some day I hope to be," and he indicated with a claw to the drawn tree, "a root." Tigerstar stifled the impulse to hiss. He'd heard something so similar to that before...From himself! He forced himself to relax and hide his rising hackles.

"Perhaps you will be," he meowed hesitantly, "perhaps you won't be. But you must remember that you cannot be a root unless you are chosen as one." He looked up from the tree just in time to see a flash of ambition hide in Tigerheart's gaze. The huge tom shivered. Something told him that Tigerheart was the kind of cat who Tigerstar had been once.

The cat who would do anything to get what he wanted, even kill his leader or deputy.

"You may leave now," the FourClan leader told him. Tigerheart nodded, whisking his tail over the drawing of the tree as he left. Tigerstar glanced down at the floor of his den. Tigerheart's tail had obliterated everything but the one, central root. The leader root.

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"Tigerstar, I must speak with you!"

Tigerstar jerked his head up from the fresh-kill pile, amber eyes focusing on a very peeved-looking Nightfur. The massive tabby narrowed his eyes. "What is it, Nightfur?" he asked, fully aware that this was the only other cat who had been on Tigerheart's patrol. Nightfur sat down with a heavy sigh.

"Tigerheart did not tell you everything," he mewed. "There was more to what we found, something that made me think it couldn't have been Barley."

Tigerstar noticed how one of the black tomcat's ears was twisted uncomfortably, and how the faint smell of fear radiated from his flanks. "Go on..." he encouraged gently. Nightfur glanced up, then back down to his paws.

"The air was silent...No birds, no prey-sounds, nothing! Not even the cicadas were buzzing." He shivered, and ducked his head into his shoulders. "And the ground was torn into huge chunks. Nothing like what the Twoleg monsters did—it was like massive paws had ripped it apart. And the air...smelled like...dog."

Tigerstar felt a shiver creep up and down his spine. _Dog...? It could have been another Twoleg pet. _He nodded._ Yes...they dig quite a bit. They always have, and they always will._ Dipping his head to Nightfur, he meowed aloud, "Thank you for telling me, Nightfur. You haven't gotten much sleep today. Would you like me to tell Ravenflight to let you sleep for the rest of the day?"

Nightfur opened his mouth, probably, Tigerstar reasoned, to say that he was fine. The ebony throat convulsed slightly, and the warrior erupted in a huge yawn. His tail twitched. "Actually, that would be great," he mumbled. Tigerstar nodded and watched the other cat leave. He turned to camp entrance, narrowing his eyes in thought. _I need something to do. There has to be something the Clan needs done…although, deciding that is Ravenflight's job._ The brown tabby shrugged and trotted out of camp, taking a sparrow with him.

A walk around the forest, that's what he needed. Not to view the destruction, but how it was being reverted. The huge FourClan leader narrowed his eyes and pushed his way through a clump of bracken. The branches trailed down his flanks like kit-claws, and he shivered at the touch. _It won't be long before we see flowers and leaves,_ he thought. The dull roar of the river grew steadily louder, humming through his ears like a sleepy purr. Tigerstar came up to the waters edge and sat down to eat.

He plucked feathers slowly and purposefully from his chosen piece of fresh-kill. A soft breeze picked up and caused the tawny, plumy leaves to drift up and away. Tigerstar watched them with somewhat amused amber eyes, nodding to himself. As a kit, he'd sometimes wondered about feathers, and why cats didn't have them. Once he had tried to eat a few, hoping that he would sprout robin wings and soar up over enemy cats' heads. Of course, nothing had happened, and little Tigerpaw had spent a very uncomfortable night in the medicine cat's den.

Tigerstar turned his focus back to the river. It flow had settled slightly since his arrival in the destroyed forest the previous moon. _If it keeps slowing at this rate, we'll be able to find some way to cross it in greenleaf._ The thought pleased him greatly, and Tigerstar felt a soft purr rumble through his massive body. He dipped his huge head to take a bite of the bird's soft flesh. It was tender and juicy, filled with the flavor of life. Some cat had caught it quite recently.

The happy hum filling the dark tabby's head ceased suddenly; his amber eyes narrowed, his lip curled. Something had just come back into his mind: Tigerheart. Disrespect to the Clan deputy was something that no leader should tolerate. Redtail had been so much smaller than Tiger_claw_...and still tabby warrior had obeyed his commands. Although, Tigerstar reasoned with himself cynically, that hadn't stopped him from then murdering the deputy in hopes of taking his place. But that was old news. That life was gone now.

_StarClan led me down the path I'm on,_ he thought, taking another bite of sparrow, _and so help me, I'll stay there. But what to do about Tigerheart? He doesn't really have any power I can take away...other than his rights as a warrior. Bluestar did that to the kittypet and Graystripe once. _

Tigerstar nodded to himself. Yes, Tigerheart would spend time doing apprentice duties, sleeping in their den, and be disciplined as one. The dark tabby glanced down at his half-finished meal. It had been a small sparrow, barely enough to line his large belly. Tigerstar was Clan leader—no cat could say anything to him if he took another piece of fresh-kill. _No...That wouldn't be right. We can't hunt all the prey out. I can wait a while for another meal._

It was then that he noticed that something was wrong with the forest. It was silent, dead quiet. His hackles rose at the words. "Dead" quiet. He gave himself a brisk shake, trying to scatter the fear-laden thoughts that hovered around him like thick clouds. Tigerstar pricked up his ears, straining them to catch any sound. Faintly, he could hear the rustle of small game in the brush. But it sounded so fearful and muffled. He was sure the prey was hiding. _It has every right to. After all, I _am_ the predator._

Giving himself another shake, the brown tabby tom slipped away from the river, taking his half eaten fresh-kill with him. The tip of his long tail twitched, and as he walked, he was sure he could feel eyes prickling the back of his neck.

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Gentle wind rustled the leafless branches above the FourClan camp. Tigerstar dropped a squirrel and a mouse on the fresh-kill pile, looking around the cmap. His tail lashed angrily at the sight before him.

"I don't care what you want, Tigerheart!" spat Ravenflight, his sleek, black shoulders bristling. "You can't just steal another warrior's apprentice and say you want to train them for the day!"

"Is that so?" Tigerheart shot back, his ears pressed flat against his skull. "I checked with Loudbelly; there's nothing in your warrior code that says I can't! So there's nothing for you to ruffle your pelt about, Ravenflight. I haven't done anything wrong!!"

"Stop."

Every cat turned as Tigerstar spoke the word in a calm, no-nonsense tone of voice. The FourClan leader stood tall beside the two arguing warrior, his amber gaze even and neutral. Tigerheart's tail started to bristle fearfully. Ravenflight gave a small sigh of relief. Tigerstar turned to his deputy. "Ravenflight, what's going on?" he asked cooly. Ravenflight met his eyes steadily, and Tigerstar felt the familiar rush of warmth towards the ebony tomcat.

"Tigerheart," he hissed, flicking his tail towards the tabby, "decided that he wanted to train an apprentice. So he told Shadepaw that he wanted to take out a patrol. Shadepaw came running over to me not long ago, looking like he'd gotten into a fight with a fox. He said Tigerheart had taken him to the training hollow and drilled him on fighting techniques."

Tigerstar narrowed his eyes, turning the stare to Tigerheart. The white-pawed tom dropped his head, not meeting his leader's eyes. Tigerstar felt a ripple of disgust towards the cat who couldn't maintin eye contact for even a heartbeat. "Is this true?" he asked.

"If you ask me, Ravenflight doesn't do his job as a mentor well at all," he muttered darkly. The cats around the threesome drew their collective breath. "I mean, just look at Shadepaw. He looks like a half-dead rat! A properly trained apprentice should be as big as his mentor—muscular and strong." The leafy eyes flicked up, then down again. "I think I could do a much better job with Shdepaw."

Tigerstar fought to keep his claws sheathed. He was a mere whisker away from exiling Tigerheart from FourClan then and there. But for some reason, the words wouldn't come out of his mouth. They felt trapped between his gritted fangs. He took in a slow, deliberate breath and forced all the fire he could muster into his amber glare. "Tigerheart, I remind you that very few warriors in FourClan recieved apprentice training," he meowed so the assembled cats could hear him. "However, those cats have had no problem adjusting to the Clan's way of acting, hunting, and following orders. You, on the other paw, seem to have great difficulty grasping this concept."

Tigerheart looked up from his paws, his green eyes filled with pure anger. "It's not my fault you mouse-brains believe in the stupidest of things," he snapped. Tigerstar drew himself up even more, silencing the tom.

"Now, the only thing I can see that would help is for you to undergo apprentice training." Tigerheart's mouth gaped wide, afternoon sunlight gleamed off his white fangs. "Tigerheart, for the next moon, you will live as an apprentice: learning under a mentor, caring for the elders, doing the duties of an apprentice. You will sleep in their den until you have learned how to act as a warrior."

"But—!"

"No buts." Tigerstar glanced around. He had to choose the right warrior to 'mentor' Tigerheart. His mind flew instantly to Ravenflight—for he knew the black deputy would not abuse his power—but refused the idea. He didn't want Tigerheart to think of him as being cruel. He spotted a flicker of silver and nodded. "For the next moon, you will be mentored by Starshine. You will listen to what she tells you, obey her orders, and learn from her. She must also supervise you when you hunt—just like any mentor would."

Tigerheart spluttered with rage, his tabby pelt starting to bristle. He looked from the former Tribe she-cat, to Ravenflight, to Tigerstar, and back to Starshine. His jaw dropped open and hung there. The silence was broken by a soft mew: "Uh...Tigerstar?"

"Yes, Shadepaw." Tigerstar dipped his head to the young cat. Shadepaw looked nervous at being addressed directly by his leader, but he swallowed quickly and steadied himself.

"There's, uh...just one little probelm with that." Shadepaw's gaze shifted down to his small black paws for an instant, then back to Tigerstar's face. "The apprentice den isn't big enough for me, Cloudpaw, Whitepaw, and Leafpaw, _and_ Tigerheart...Tigerpaw...Tigerheart." He looked uncertain on which name to use for the punished warrior. "He can't sleep in our den."

"No matter," Tigerstar replied. He swalled the swiftly rising bile in his throat at the sight of the young tom's battered appearance, his fur even more wild than usual, his green eyes looking apprehensive at the thought of spending the night anywhere near Tigerheart. _What kind of brute would harm an apprentice? Brokenstar, yes...is that what Tigerheart is destined to become?_ "He will just have to sleep outside the den."

"What?!" The outburst came not from Tigerheart, but Joey. The ginger tabby glared defiance at Tigerstar. "Listen, Tigerstar, I know that Tigerheart is getting everything he deserves, but...sleeping outside a den? That's just plain cruel!"

"Settle down, Joey," Honeypelt soothed, draping her tail across the tomcat's shoulders. "The earth is growing warmer with each passing day. Tigerheart will be fine. Besides, I'm sure Tigerstar won't leave him out when the night is cold." She glanced at Tigerstar, who nodded.

"Naturally. If the night is truly cold, Tigerheart will den with the warriors." The amber glower shifted back to Tigerheart. _And StarClan help me, the next time, it's exile!_ "I cannot take away your warrior name, so you shall remain Tigerheart, not Tigerpaw. However," and he narrowed his eyes in threat, laying back his ears, "I fully expect you to be the best apprentice you can be. Perhaps I'll reconsider punishing you for a _moon_, and shorten it to a week or so instead."

Tigerheart stared down at his white front paws, his green eyes narrowed to dark slits. Tigerstar felt a rippled of distrust run through his body in a sickening wave. Disrespect, disobedience, and finally harming an apprentice. The dark tabby tried hard not to think about what Tigerheart could possibly do after that. The answer was so simple, so cold, so disgusting.

Murder.

_Can I trust you?_ he longed to ask the chastised warrior before him.

**Tigerstar: There. Chapter done. (bounces up and down on his toes) You were right, Ruthie. That chapter really did do the trick. I feel great!**

**Then perhaps I should tell you the truth...**

**(Ravenflight yawns and wakes up. He pads over to the group, head at a curious angle)**

**Ravenflight: Hey guys! Man, that was a great nap.**

**Tigerstar: (shaking his head slowly) Ravenflight, do you have any idea how long you just slept for?**

**Ravenflight: I'd say somewhere in the realm of an hour?**

**Tigerstar: It's been—**

**And that's the truth I was going to tell you about. Ah...you were actually only asleep for about, eh...(scratches head) I'd say 'round-about sixty-eight seconds.**

**Tigerstar: (blink blink)**

**Sasha: We do love you, Tiggerstar, but we needed to get this chapter up.**

**Seriously! (turns to readers) Sorry it took me so long to finally get this chapter up. A lot of things came up, including a Geometry and Chemistry project that both were due the same day. Anyways, I finally go it up, and I think I'm going to get a lot of "Ruthie, you had better kill Tigerheart" mail.**

**Ravenflight: He's being a jerk again?**

**In the worst of ways. (shows him the chapter)**

**Ravenflight: #)&$!!!**

**Pretty much, yeah. Well, anywho, I'll try and put the next chappie up soon. Although...more things might come between me and it, so...you might be in for another wait. Sorry...**


	4. The Elders' Story

**(turns to readers) Tigerstar, Ravenflight, Sasha, and Starshine are off doing cat things, so it's just me doing the pre-chapter notes. Wow, everyone really hates Tigerheart. I mean, I usually find it hard to hate my characters, but this guy...(shiver) He's gross. As to whether or not he'll get what's coming to him...you'll just have to see.**

**Sora: (cough)**

**Who asked you?**

**Sora: Tigerstar. He said you didn't like doing these notes of yours alone, and that if I knew what was good for me, I'd come and help you.**

**Well, sweetness, I think I'm about done, really.**

**Sora: Tails!**

**Yeah, well, I'm sure I can find some use for you somewhere along the way. In the meantime, though, let's get on with Chapter Four!!**

_Disobeying Ravenflight, brutalizing an apprentice...What more could he possibly do?_ Tigerstar wondered as he paced frantically in his den. His twitching tailtip showed just how antsy he felt. His ears pressed flat at the sound of a paw tapping the outside of his den. He started to growl, but broke off suddenly at the nervous mewl from Shadepaw's sister, Leafpaw. Apologizing under his breath, he poked his head out of the den.

"T-Tigerstar..." the golden tabby mewed quietly. "I'm...scared of...T-Tigerheart..."

_That makes two of us._ Tigerstar shoved the grim thought aside, his amber eyes warming towards the nervous queen. "I know what will make you feel better," he murmured, sweeping her to his side with his long tail. "Let's head over to the elders den—both of us. We'll listen in on one of their stories. That always made me feel better when things got scary."

Leafpaw looked relieved; she had been expecting a short growl of "Grow up." Twining her tail with that of the FourClan leader, she started for the halfnest. Tigerstar allowed himself to be led by Joey's apprentice. He looked her over carefully. Her body was starting to develop the muscles of a well-trained apprentice, her pelt was sleek and unmarked, and she held her head proudly and confidently. Good. It seemed the only cat he couldn't trust with an apprentice was Tigerheart.

Shadepelt jerked her head up and gave a soft snort as the two cats entered the dimly-lit halfnest. She prodded Loudbelly with a hindpaw to waken him. "We have company," she hissed. The dark brown tom pricked up his ears and squinted in the low light.

"Tigerstar?" he rasped. "And...little apprentice. White...no, Leafpaw." Tigerstar nodded, settling himself down on a patch of bracken not far from where the elders lay in a warm, dozy huddle. He cast the white bundle of fur that was Frostfur a brief glance before speaking to the alert cats.

"Leafpaw and I were hoping for a good story," he meowed. Shadepelt's ears twitched, her slightly open jaw proclaiming a very bold, obvious _Huh?_ Tigerstar rippled his whiskers, hoping she's understand it was for Leafpaw's sake. "Do you by chance know the story of the leader of LionClan and the badger?"

"Can't say that I do," Shadepelt replied, shaking her head. "I can tell you about TigerClan's leader and the fox, though."

Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. "Do you know the one of how the Great Clans came to be?" he asked. The dark she-cat nodded. Leafpaw flopped down and snuggled up close to Tigerstar's warm, tabby-striped flank. Shadepelt rested her head on her paws, her dark eyes clouding as she thought of how to begin. Finally, she raised her head in a sleek, easy movement that belied her age. She spoke clearly, and Tigerstar couldn't help wondering what it must have been like for RiverClan's young cats to listen to this storyteller.

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When the world began, at first, there was nothing. There was only a barren, empty planet, where nothing grew or lived. There was darkness all over the lands, and all was silent. Suddenly, from the skies above came for streaking balls of pure light and life. They crashed into the dead earth in its four corners: North, South, East, and West. Unaware that there were others, the first of the four uncurled itself to reveal a cat. This cat was the leader of TigerClan. He was the cat of the North.

The leader of TigerClan was a burly tom, much bigger than any cat to come after him. His paws were big enough to crush Twoleg monsters, his claws were thorns the size of trees, his fangs hung over his lips, they were so massive. His pelt was like wild fire streaked with moonless night. (Leafpaw shivered with delight; "See? Don't you feel better already?" Tigerstar whispered in her ear. "Be quiet!" Shadepelt hissed)

TigerClan's leader had no name, and if he had, it was lost to the ages. But such a great cat needed no name to be recognized. You could see him coming from miles around, and with his enormous pawprints, he created huge hollows. But he was lonely, for there were no cats like him around, and his anguished tears fell into his pawprints, creating lakes. Small stones that had clung to his pawpads were brought to life by his tears, and they became the fish and frogs.

Far, far away from TigerClan's leader was another great cat—the leader of LionClan. He was just as big as TigerClan's leader, with bright golden fur and a mane of flames about his neck. The LionClan leader was of noble heart, and he knew of his power to create. He scratched his pelt long and hard until hairs fell to the ground. They sprang up as trees. He passed his paws over stones, and they became all sorts of animals to live amongst the trees. Then he left, and wherever he went, went the light. The leader of LionClan would one day be called the sun. One day, he would rule over the East and West, but for now, he ruled the South.

In another corner of the world was the leader of CheetahClan. Unlike the others, this was a she-cat. She was not as big as TigerClan's leader, or as noble as LionClan's. Her pelt was bright yellow, dappled with black pawprints, and her feet were swift as she raced across the land. As she ran, her paws kicked up chunks of the earth, making moors and highlands. She was the fastest cat in the world, and she ran just for the joy of the winds singing in her ears. She was the cat of the West.

When she paused for a brief moment, the leader of CheetahClan saw how desolate her new creations looked. She hoped that one day, cats as swift as she would live in these lands. They would be fierce and fast. She decided to give them prey that would challenge their running ability, and, touching a few rocks with her paws, she created rabbits. She yowled, and the rabbits fled, stretching their long legs out far as they bolted. CheetahClan's leader grinned, knowing that the rabbits would provide a good challenge for her warriors.

Finally, the last of the balls awoke. It revealed itself to be two cats, rather than just one. The first was golden-brown, and spotted like CheetahClan's leader, except her spots were much larger. The second was pure black, and small, faded splotches of his spots could be seen. The two of them touched noses and bent their heads to study the dead ground below them. The sister spat onto the earth, so much that not all the saliva could be absorbed by the ground. The brother plucked a few of his whiskers out and set them around the puddles of stagnant water. They grew into stiff, bristly pine trees.

The two LeopardClan cats could not think of any new life they could create, so they left the swamps dead and stinking. Occasionally, their paws would turn over ground, which then blossomed into life. A few stones became rats, others toads, still others became muskrats and opossums. The twins of the East set out in a devious, dark ripple to search the rest of the land.

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"I always thought LionClan's leader woke first," Tigerstar mused. Loudbelly's ear twitched.

"You heard it from a ThunderClan cat," he replied. "If you'd listened to a ShadowClan elder, they'd say it was LeopardClan who started to create life."

Nodding, Tigerstar turned back to Shadepelt. The dark gray queen looked unruffled by the disruption, and she continued without an angry snap.

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North, South, East, and West—the Four great cats traveled together, not knowing fully where their paws would take them. They traveled long and hard, for days upon days, without stopping to rest. They felt drawn somewhere, but they did not know where. They journeyed for a moon, and finally came to stop in a large, empty place.

For the longest time, the five great cats could only stare at each other. Then LionClan's leader dipped his head to that of CheetahClan, his dark eyes gleaming with a friendly light. TigerClan's leader touched noses with those of the LeopardClan twins. Their purring rumbled like thunder and shook the ground gently.

As quickly as the affection had come, it left. TigerClan's leader sized up LionClan's leader; CheetahClan hissed a challenge at the LeopardClan twins. Claws gleamed dully at their razor-keen tips in the light of LionClan's mane. Angry yowls split the air, and the five leapt into fierce battle. The earth trembled, the ground was split, and the very skies were shaken.

CheetahClan flung herself at the LeopardClan queen, her long, black claws sinking into her shoulders. Her brother rushed to help her, only to be cut off by LionClan, his mane crackling with fury. TigerClan's leader leapt onto his back and dug his fangs into the scruff of his neck, snarling angrily. The LeopardClan tomcat darted away from the two giants and ran for his sister, yowling her name—which again, was lost. CheetahClan stumbled back, her fur bristling in fear. The leaders of LionClan and TigerClan broke apart and stared.

The golden spotted LeopardClan cat was dead, her ragged pelt lying still as blood soaked the ground below her.

Above the battered clearing, silver light blazed into life, soaking the ground and the panting warriors. TigerClan's leader ("Again," Loudbelly meowed, "you probably heard it was LionClan's leader, Tigerstar.") looked up and gave a mighty roar. The other four cats joined him, and together, they thundered to the sky. The still figure of the LeopardClan she-cat started to glow lightly, her many spots shining silver. Slowly, she rose up, and her spotty body became what we know as Silverpelt.

The remaining four cats looked around at each other. "This is no longer a battleground," murmured the leader of TigerClan. The others nodded. "It has become a holy ground, and we must make it so."

With that, they started to work. The LionClan tom set up four trees in the center of the clearing, making them sacred oaks that would live forever. The TigerClan tom dug a channel and filled it with his living tears. Together, the CheetahClan and LeopardClan cats sloped the ground around the trees, creating a small valley. Their work completed, the four titans looked around for more to do.

"We cannot live here," the LeopardClan tom growled, his ears low. "This land is not made for us."

"There shall be others," the LionClan cat meowed. "Smaller than us, but still as great." He padded to one edge of the clearing, gazing out at the forest he'd created. "I shall make my people here. They will hunt in the forest and shelter in the shadows of its trees. They will be noble and true, honest and brave. They shall be called ThunderClan."

("I think she changed it around for you, Tigerstar," Loudbelly muttered.)

The TigerClan leader paced to the edge of the rive he'd cried, nodding to himself. "I shall make mine here. They will be clever and cheerful, taking fish and other creatures from the river as their prey. They will swim like fish and admire the beauty of the world we created for them. I shall call them RiverClan."

CheetahClan's leader spoke next. "My people will run as swiftly as myself," she mewed. "They will be strong runners who never tire. The moorlands will be their territory, and they will make themselves fleeter still by racing across the hills my paws spat up. They will be fierce and lean, with strong loyalty. They will live for the joy of running and the song of the wind in their ears. They will be called WindClan, for they will race the winds and bring me honor."

The three turned to the black LeopardClan tom, who sat silently at the edge of the clearing. His ears were still pressed flat to his skull, his hackles rising on his shoulders and neck. At first, it appeared that he would not speak. As the TigerClan leader opened his mouth to ask him about his people, the LeopardClan leader leapt to his paws. "My people will appear to be poor and weak," he spat, glare challenging the other three, "but when the time comes for battle, they will fight with the fury to beat you all! They will hunt in the dark marshes, chilled and hardened by the winds and water. They will be stronger than ThunderClan, cleverer than WindClan, and fiercer than WindClan! They will trust no cat but their Clanmates!"

"And what will you call them?" TigerClan's leader asked patiently.

"They will fight under the name of ShadowClan, forever hunting in the darkness of my fur." The black tomcat's eyes blazed wildly. "Their hearts will be filled with the want of revenge for my sister's death. They will battle, conquer, and destroy all other Clans, never ceasing until they are supreme!!"

He said nothing more, merely panted with growing fury. His fiery eyes took in the leaders of TigerClan, LionClan, and CheetahClan. "Remember that," he snarled. "We must part now, for the world cannot contain our powers. We must retreat somewhere else, somewhere where we will not be bound by small spaces and delicate creations."

The other three cats agreed. LionClan and LeopardClan's leaders decided that they would strike up a partnership. The lion would reign in the day, his blazing mane warming the land and bringing life and light to all they had made. The panther would follow him, bringing the cooling shadows of the nighttime to give the land rest and time for secrets. Occasionally, though, they would fight, and the LeopardClan darkness would rule for some time in the day. We call this an eclipse.

The CheetahClan leader decided that she would breathe her life into the world and do what she did best: run. She agreed to race around the lands, checking up on everything that had been created by her fellow warriors. She would often retreat to the sky to rest and share tongues with the other two leaders. The TigerClan tom, who was still broken from the loss of the LeopardClan queen, left, for he did not know what he could give. He made himself a series of dens and slept in each, crying himself to sleep for many moons, until his dens became flooded. Every night, LionClan's leader would plunge to the bottom of his watery nest to check up on him.

("What did TigerClan's leader wind up doing?" Leafpaw asked. "You'll find out," Shadepelt told her before continuing.)

Finally, the TigerClan leader realized his purpose. He saw that he alone could provide the water that gave everything life. He joined the other three cats up in the sky, and gave the water of life in the form of rain. He was always an emotional tom, and the other three respected that.

The LeopardClan she-cat's sacrifice did not go in vain. She found herself able to speak with four of the many cats the other four leaders had created. She called them to lead their Clan, to fight under a strict code, and to believe in their warrior ancestors. She granted them not the eternal lives of the four leaders, but rather, nine—four for the number of Clans plus five for the original number of leaders. Clever RiverClan. Brave ThunderClan. Swift WindClan. Vindictive ShadowClan. And that is how the Clans came to be.

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"This story has been passed down from generation to generation, through many Clans and many tongues." Shadepelt was joined by Loudbelly in reciting what every elder said after telling a story. "Listen well, young ones, for some day, it will be your duty to pass it on to the next generation, and to keep the history of the Clans alive."

Tigerstar let out a small, satisfied sigh, his long tail curling happily and snugly against his haunch. Leafpaw was struck dumb, her tiny mouth gaping pink as she stared in awe at the elders. "What do you say?" Tigerstar asked her gently. The young she-cat darted forward and shoved her muzzle into Shadepelt's dark gray flank.

"Thank you so much!" she mewed hoarsely. "I can't wait to tell Whitepaw and Shadepaw and Cloudpaw all about it! Thank you! Thank you!" She darted from the halfnest, smelling of excitement and joy. Tigerstar turned back to the elders, heaving himself slowly to his own paws.

"Thank you," he murmured. "I'll admit, I was escaping Tigerheart in here, but I think I got a little more out of it than that."

"Just a little?" Loudbelly meowed. "We're insulted, Tigerstar! Shame on you!"

Purring made the old tomcat's voice rich and full-sounding. The happy hum bounced off the wooden walls of the halfnest, reverberating through the air in a sound of happiness and goodwill. Tigerstar nosed each elder—with the exception of Frostfur, who had slept through the whole story and was still snoring peacefully—and departed. His paws felt light as he left the den, and he felt ready to take on ten Tigerhearts if he had to.

Overhead, Silverpelt winked and flashed gloriously, attracting the dark brown tabby's attention. Tigerstar gazed silently up at it for a few minutes, the sight of his warrior ancestors soothing him as it always did. He couldn't help a smile. _Better tell Joey his apprentice spent a late night with the elders,_ he thought, not wanting to have Joey force the young she-cat out of her nest and appear very unprofessional and cruel. _He'll understand. I'd better get myself into bed, too._

He slipped through the shadows of the camp, making his way towards the warriors halfnest den. Joey's ginger tabby fur was heaped up fairly close to the den's entrance. Tigerstar reached out a paw to prod him, then stopped and poked at the nearly-invisible tabby beside Joey. "Tigerheart, the night is warm," he growled. Green eyes flashed fearfully in the darkness. "Nice try, though. The ground beside the apprentices den awaits you. Get going."

Tigerheart scrambled to his paws, much to the dismay of the warriors dozing around him. Some cursed, others merely grumbled wordlessly, but all had something to say about it. Tigerhneart stopped, staring pleadingly at Tigerstar. The FourClan leader was not about to be won over. He flicked his tail out sharply, pointing Tigerheart's way. The tabby warrior slunk sullenly off, his head and tail low. Tigerstar turned back to Joey to pass the message along. The ginger warrior nodded and laid his head back down onto his paws.

Tigerstar heaved a soft sigh as he headed back to his own den. You could take away his warrior privileges, but Tigerheart was still Tigerheart: stubborn and defiant to the last. At least now he was too tired to argue. The tabby leader slipped into his own den, turned around three times in his mossy nest, and fell asleep instantly.

**Tigerstar: We're back!**

**Sora: Tails! That means I can't do the end of chapter notes either!!**

**Lighten up. Tiggerstar, you skipped out at the beginning, so you get to skip out the end. Sora, you're on.**

**Tigerstar: What?**

**Sora: In your face, furball! Anyways, wow, I like the legend, Ruthie. Oh, and Tigerheart's not being so much of a tail-head in this one.**

**He'll be up to his old tricks soon. Just you wait. But right now, he's a little too sleepy to do much of anything else. So he's pretty docile now.**

**Ravenflight: Will I ever get to beat him up?**

**Maybe someday you will, Ravenflight. Maybe some day...**

**Ravenflight: Is that a yes?**

**Sora: Knowing Ruthie, she's screaming "HECK YEAH FUZZY!!!" with that sort of ambiguous, mysterious, omniscient attitude.**

**Okay, the last adjective totally didn't fit, just want to let you know. As the authoress, I decree LET MY READERS REVIEW!!**


	5. Tigerpaw's First Day

**You know what's funny? In Forest of Purity, I did this whole "review begging" thing, and then did this huge apology thing. Now, after each chapter, I tell you to review. Isn't that odd? I think I'm just a little weird.**

**Tigerstar: I think you're just a little weird, too, Ruthie.**

**Who asked you? Actually (holds up hand as Tigerstar opens his mouth), I didn't even ask anyone. That wasn't even a rhetorical question. That wasn't even a question, period!**

**Ravenflight: As fascinating as this all is, Ruthie, I must ask that we return to the story.**

**Bossy furball. Fine, you win. Chapter 5 is now officially up.**

_Tigerheart's POV_

A breeze, warm and soft, caressed the face of Tigerheart, smoothing out the dark tabby stripes and tickling his whiskers. The dark tom leapt to his paws, looking around in mixed shock and frustration. This wasn't his warm nest in the warriors den! He had been sleeping out on the bare ground. How?

Memory flickered in the back of his mind. Tigerheart bore down on it with sharp mental claws until it screamed itself to him. Tigerstar had come to him in the night and told him to sleep by the apprentices den. _But...It really was cold last night. And if not cold, then it certainly was damp. I'll catch cold sleeping out in the open!_ He did not bother to pounce on the thought that told him he had been sheltered by the brambly bush. _I wonder if I'm going to be sick later today. That would teach Tigerstar. He'd have to let me sleep in some kind of den after that._

"Tigerheart!" a sweet voice mewed. Tigerheart jerked his head up, emerald eyes narrowing. Ah. His 'mentor' was calling for him. His ears flattened as he stalked toward the silver tabby queen.

"Yes, Starshine?" he asked with mock innocence in his voice. Starshine's eyes became golden slits, and her shoulders startled to bristle.

"I don't like doing this any more than you do," she spat under her breath, "but StarClan and the Tribe of Endless Hunting _both _protect you if you keep that attitude up!" She drew herself stiffly up. "Now," she continued in a normal tone of voice, "I figured we could start the day off with some hunting. That way, you can hunt for the Clan and earn some breakfast."

Tigerheart looked away. He spotted Ravenflight at the fresh-kill pile, and watched in outrage as the black deputy selected a squirrel from the pile. "Oh, that's not _fair_!" Tigerheart yowled. "_He_ gets to eat without hunting first!"

"_I'm_ a warrior," Ravenflight pointed out sharply. "I don't have to hunt for the Clan before I can eat. However, it's advised that I _do_ hunt for it eventually, so that other cats can eat like I did."

Starshine let out a short _mrrow_. "Why don't you mentor him instead of me?" she teased. Ravenflight touched his nose to hers, twining their tails together.

"Tigerstar's orders," he replied. "The big furball doesn't want to look cruel by putting enemies together." He spoke in a soft tone, so that Tigerheart would have trouble hearing him. But Tigerheart did.

_We're enemies by Tigerstar, are we?_ he mused venomously. _Fair enough. Some day, though, Ravenflight, there will only be one of us standing. I will not spend my life in your shadow. Some day...some day..._

"Are you ready to leave, Tigerheart?" Starshine meowed, jolting Tigerheart from his thoughts. The dark brown tabby nodded rapidly, trying to keep his fur smooth. Ravenflight wished them safe hunting and left with his squirrel. Starshine flicked her tail and led Tigerheart from the camp.

Another gentle current of air swept the land, bringing the scent of wild water and green growing things to Tigerheart's nose. He opened his mouth slightly, drinking in the scents around him. Prey-scent was faint, but there: a robin. Pricking his ears, he swore he could almost hear it scratching its claws amongst the dried leaves in search of worms. He prowled off in search of the morsel, stomach grumbling angrily. The only thing he could think of was what the look on Ravenflight's face would be when he sunk his teeth into the food Tigerheart had to wait to eat.

A few strides brought the bird in question into view. Tigerheart let out a triumphant hiss under his breath, tail twitching eagerly. All thoughts of the FourClan deputy vanished from his mind. Now the only thing he could think of was biting into that plump, juicy bird. The robin's brown head jerked back again and again as it tugged at the worm. Tigerheart felt the need for a challenge. He growled quietly. The robin gave a few startled flaps and took off.

Tigerheart was there, bounding ahead and bringing it crashing to the ground. It struggled, wings flailing and rustling the leaves. The dark brown tabby tom sliced a claw across its neck. The bird stopped moving, but it was still alive. Only its black eyes moved, flicking back and forth in fear. "Tigerheart!" Starshine's sharp cry made him jump off the bird to land in a clumsy heap behind it.

The silver she-cat stepped over the robin and finished it with a quick bite to the throat. She lifted her head, eyes wide with shock. "You know, I was getting around to that," Tigerheart meowed defensively. "You didn't have to scare me away from my kill."

"I _did_—you were torturing it!"

"Really?"

"I know how to paralyze prey. I did it a few times when I was a to-...an apprentice. But my...my mentor told my that the...that StarClan did not will for prey to die slowly by the claw. Rather, he said, it was to be killed swiftly by the fang."

Tigerheart rolled his eyes. "Well, it's fresh-kill and the Clan can have it," he growled. "That means I can eat now." He made a move towards the camp. Starshine cut him off, her hackles rising stiffly along her spine.

"I've decided that our hunting mission will be a little more specific," she gritted. "You will hunt for five cats: Frostfur, Shadepelt, Loudbelly, Fishbelly, and Tigerstar. Each of those cats can probably down a mouse, although Fishbelly should eat more than that because of her nursing kits. You should hunt the equivalent of that for each cat, and we're not going back to camp until you do."

Tigerheart loosed his claws and bared his fangs. Starshine grinned. "Touch me and face exile," she hissed, almost tauntingly. "Tigerstar's at the end of his patience with you, Tigerheart."

The tabby warrior gasped and sheathed his claws as quickly as he'd unsheathed them. He'd forgotten about Tigerstar, the top of the Clan food-chain. Yes, that huge tom did seem a little strained about the whole "disobedience" issue. Tigerheart lowered his curled lips and relaxed his body. Without a word, his flipped his tail at the cat who was his acting mentor and pushed his way between two small bushes.

She wouldn't _dare_ tell Tigerstar! She was bluffing! There was no way such a puny, scrawny she-cat would even dare to pit her temper against Tigerheart's! Tigerheart kept himself satisfied with these thoughts as he slunk through the growing forest, senses keen on finding traces of prey. But the prey was hiding, and he was getting hungrier with the thought of still-warm food. A sudden odor attracted his attention. He opened his mouth the drink in the scent, then flinched away from the sour stench that greeted his curiosity.

The ground nearby reeked of blood and the fear of prey, and the air was filled with the sharp, pungent aroma of broken branches' sap. Tigerheart pushed his way into the small clearing, eyes wide open and ears pricked up. He was brought back to the patrol that had started his declining relationship with Tigerstar. The air had smelled of dog...just as it did now, here. The dark hackles rose on his neck and shoulders, and, swallowing the fearful bile rising in his throat, Tigerheart stepped further into the clearing.

Yes...he'd seen it all before. The ground torn up, the plants disturbed, the brown-stained bones lying cracked and broken around the spot. _Some Twoleg dog's gotten lucky,_ he thought, shaking his head scornfully. _Well, not like there's a real problem here, other than the forest taking longer to regenerate._

Over his head, a brave wren warbled its song, burbling like a stream. Tigerheart pricked up his ears, but the softness of the melody told him he couldn't jump for it. Cursing under his breath, he turned and padded away from the clearing, leaping over the gory skull of a rabbit as he did.

**.-.  
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****.-.**

"There. That's the last of it," Tigerheart growled. "_Now_ can I get something to eat?"

"Take it to the cats you hunted it for," Starshine replied. Tigerheart lashed his tail and muttered darkly under his breath. He snatched up the robin he'd caught first, as well as a young squirrel that had practically fallen into his jaws, and a mouse that had never seen him coming. Still grumbling angrily, he made his way over to the thorn-coated nursery.

He poked his dark striped head inside, blinking in the warm gloom. Fishbelly lifted her head from licking her kits and blinked up at him in a friendly way. "Hello, Tigerheart," she mewed. Tigerheart maneuvered the squirrel out of his jaws with his tongue and left without a word. His belly tightened painfully at the sound of Fishbelly tearing into her meal.

Next came Tigerstar. The FourClan leader was not in his den, so Tigerheart left the robin on his nest. He headed back to the small pile of fresh-kill and collected the last two mice for the elders. _This is demeaning!_ he thought furiously, brow furrowing as he walked._ I was taken into this Clan a warrior, and I should stay one!_

Frostfur was awake. Shadepelt and Loudbelly lay in a contented heap off to the side. The white she-cat's eyes narrowed as she saw Tigerheart approach. "Finally, an apprentice," she meowed in a voice cracked with age. Tigerheart flinched and considered throwing the mice at her head. The one was starting to get stiff—it would get the message across quite clearly. But Frostfur's age-clouded blue glare wiped the thought from his mind instantly. "Thank you for joining us today, Tigerheart. I have a favor to ask of you."

Tigerheart dropped the mice. "I'm just bringing you and the others fresh-kill, Frostfur," he snapped. "Have a nice day. I'll send in Cloudpaw or someone."

"Stop. Right. There." There was ice in that command, all the ice of leaf-bare. Tigerheart felt it freeze his paws. She might be a piece of old crowfood, but she still had power over all cats younger than she. "Now, Tigerheart, I know you have a warrior's name, but you don't have a warrior's heart."

"I have the heart of a tiger, one of the great cats," Tigerheart growled, glaring at her from the corner of his green eyes. "Isn't that good enough for you?"

"Your warrior name may be Tiger_heart_, but you've got the heart of a kittypet." She was trying to get to him, he was sure. How he longed to rake claws through that patchy white pelt! "It's an honor to serve those who have served their Clan as the elders have. You should be glad to be serving us."

Tigerheart turned back to her, his dancing tail the only indicator of his pent-up rage. "All right," he mewed. "What is it I can do to _serve_ you?"

Frostfur pointed with her tail to a far corner of the den. "Well, when you get older, you start having..." She trailed off, noting Tigerheart's curled lip. "Yes, well, I'm sure you've noticed. Perfectly normal, but not necessarily pleasant. I would appreciate you bringing us some fresh bedding. Not for the whole den, just Loudbelly's nest will be fine."

Tigerheart's head was reeling with the combined fury of being ordered around like an apprentice and the foul stench of urine. He gave his body a brisk shake and streaked from the den, retching and shivering. No, no, no! He couldn't do it, shouldn't do it, wouldn't do it! He collided with Tigerstar at the camp entrance. The massive tabby wrinkled his nose at the smell of Tigerheart's paws. "Elders need fresh moss?" he asked. Tigerheart nodded glumly. "Well, perhaps this will get the message across of just how much the Clan needs loyal and supporting warriors."

Tigerheart bowed his head and plodded away, his ears and tail low. He felt dirty and hated. Now Tigerstar, his idol since joining FourClan, had turning him down with a "maybe this will teach you" lecture. Defeated, the brown tabby warrior slipped out towards the moss patch to gather fresh bedding.

He raked the moss into a heap with his claws, glad that the moist earth made his task that much easier. He wadded it into a ball and took it in his jaws. The leaf buds on brush around him rustled. Shadepaw stepped out, flanked by Cloudpaw, Leafpaw, and Whitepaw. Fear danced in the black tomcat's eyes as he faced the one who'd given him such a beating the previous day, but his stance was firm and proud. Tigerheart would have like to give him a sharp cuff around the ear. He could hear himself now: _You are supposed to be subordinate to a warrior! Don't act so mighty around me!_

But then he remembered that for here and for now, he was not superior, but rather, one of them. Setting down the moss ball, he meowed, "What do you want?"

"Ravenflight told me to come help you. He said we should probably clean out _all_ the elders den, not just the one nest. Many paws make light work, you know. We're all helping out."

Cloudpaw winked at Tigerheart, her tail curling up. "And when we're done, we might be able to weasel a story out of them," she mewed, yellow eyes twinkling merrily. Tigerheart said nothing to this, merely turned his attention to Shadepaw.

"If your so keen on helping," he began, "why don't you do me a favor and clean out Loudbelly's nest?"

Shadepaw shook his head. "Ravenflight said we were to save that one for _you_, Tigerheart," he replied. Then, flicking his tail from side to side, he wordlessly commanded his sisters to start gathering their moss. His green gaze centered on Tigerheart's as if to say _You don't scare me half as much as you think you do._ The tabby tom shook the eye contact away and gripped his moss-ball, heading back to camp without a sound.

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It took a few trips, but finally, the disgusting soiled moss was cleared from the den. Tigerheart pressed back his ears and nudged it ahead of him with a front paw. A few cats stopped to watch, but none offered to help him. He pressed onwards, shoving the dirty ball as hard as he could. His fangs were clamped down on a furious yowl of frustration. The trip across the clearing took moons. Finally, out at the place to dump the moss, he threw back his head and howled his every fury to the sky above him.

The effort of holding onto that frustration for so long left him panting after it was released. Tigerheart dropped his head, gasping for breath. His paws stank to high StarClan, and he cast around for a stream or puddle to wash them off in. His ears twitched. A brook was running nearby. The dark tabby tom struck out towards the sound of water.

Tigerheart felt the cool, clean water trickle over his paws, making the white fur appear polished, almost. It made him feel a little better. He sat in the stream, silent and thoughtful._ Tigerstar said he'd lessen the punishment if I was a good, _he winced,_ apprentice. It'll be a stretch, but anything's worth a try. Fine. I'll be the best apprentice there is!_ He stood up, water dripping from his haunches from sitting in the water. _And some day I'll get back at Ravenflight for all he's put me through._ He gazed into the brush around him. _And I think I know how to do it, too..._

**That should be good for now.**

**Tigerstar: Ruthie, I get the feeling you're dodging the plot.**

**So?**

**Tigerstar: Well...that will probably anger the readers. And plus, I never want you to do a chapter with Tigerheart again. **

**Honey, I might have to. It's all part of my plan. At least, it probably will be part of it. (shrugs) I dunno. **

**Sasha: Ech...Tigerheart's a real hairball, isn't he?**

**Ravenflight: I'm about ready to kill him, I am!!**

**Chill out, Ravencrowbar.**

**Ravenflight: What?**

**Sorry. My friend Blue knows what I'm talking about...if she's reading this. Which I don't think she is. Anyways, that's the fifth chapter. For those who want more action, don't worry. It's on the way!**


	6. The Calm Before the Storm

**What's this? It seems Ruthie is suffering from a lack of pre-chapter note inspiration.**

**Tigerstar: (sarcastically) StarClan preserve us! Whatever shall we do?**

**I dunno. Go on with the chapter, I guess?**

**Tigerstar: Works for me.**

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath Greatshard for a Clan meeting!"

Tigerstar couldn't suppress the glow of pride he felt giving the familiar yowl to summon his Clan. He forced himself to be serious, though. This was a serious matter. Ravenflight hopped up onto another fragment of what was once the Great Rock, taking his place as deputy. Tigerstar dipped his head in greeting to the black tomcat, but said nothing. His amber gaze centered on one cat in the throng below him, a cat who was too tall for the others surrounding him.

Tigerheart.

The brown tabby towered over the apprentices like an oak tree among bushes, his green eyes flicking from side to side. He looked uncomfortable, even though he'd been sitting with them at every FourClan meeting for nearly a moon. It had been three weeks since Tigerheart had spirited away Ravenflight's apprentice, Shadepaw, and landed himself the punishment of becoming an honorary apprentice. He had been humbled slightly, and seemed much more willing to work together with his Clanmates.

"Cat of FourClan," Tigerstar began, "I call you together for a very happy reason. I have spoken with Starshine"—Tigerheart's ears pricked up—"and she says that Tigerheart is making excellent progress in his training. Therefore, I declare his punishment over, and grant him warrior privileges once more."

A few cats cheered, others chanted "Tigerheart!", and Joey padded over to touch noses with Tigerheart. Tigerheart gave Tigerstar a brisk nod as if saying _Thanks, but you should have gotten around to it sooner._ The massive tabby tom flicked his tailtip, sighing quietly to himself. Sometimes he wondered if he could ever trust Tigerheart fully.

"That's all," he meowed aloud. "You may return to your duties." With that, he jumped down from Greatshard and padded towards Honeypelt. The tawny she-cat looked as though she would burst with an untold secret. She kept stretching up onto the tips of her toes and leaning from side to side. Tigerstar licked behind her ears affectionately. "What is it?" he asked in a low murmur.

"Sandpelt..." Honeypelt squirmed happily. "Sandpelt says I'm going to have kits!" she squeaked, suddenly twining her body around Tigerstar's neck. She dug her claws playfully into his huge shoulders and nipped at the back of his head. Tigerstar buried his nose in her soft belly, wondering if he would feel the tiny scraps of life moving inside of it.

"That's wonderful," he purred, feeling the joy rumble through his body like summer thunder. "I can't wait."

Honeypelt untwisted herself from around her mate. Her blue eyes were troubled. "But I'm worried about Cloudpaw," she meowed. "What if I have to move into the nursery before I finish her training? Who would mentor her if I can't?"

_Not Tigerheart, that's for sure._ "Perhaps Nightfur or Starshine," he replied. "Or, I could try to work with her." The look in Honeypelt's eyes told him she knew he'd deliberately ruled out Tigerheart by listing the names of every other warrior. But she nodded, wordlessly telling him with her body that she didn't trust Tigerheart with Cloudpaw anyway. "But we'll decide that when the time comes."

Honeypelt gave Tigerstar one final lick before calling to Cloudpaw and heading out of the camp. Tigerstar watched her leave, feeling warm inside. _You've done it again, Tigerstar,_ he mused. _In a few more moons, there will be more kits in the nursery. And by then, we won't have to worry about overhunting the prey._

The sun was pleasantly warm on his dark tabby pelt, and Tigerstar considered just curling up outside his den for a midmorning nap. There was an inviting sunbeam not far from the rocky crevice. The huge tom stretched lazily and swiped his tongue over his whiskers. He hummed a thoughtful note, then gave into temptation and curled into a loose ball in the light. Warmth tickled his whiskers, tingling down from muzzle to tail in a soothing glow. One of the many advantages of being dark-furred: you got more heat out of the sunlight, and held onto it better.

"Snooze away, O Mighty Leader of FourClan," an amused voice mewed. Tigerstar flicked open one eye, focusing it on Ravenflight. The black tom's whiskers twitched. "What will the warriors think when they see you dozing like a pregnant queen in greenleaf?"

"Ravenflight, when you get to be my age, you gain a whole new appreciation for the sun," Tigerstar murmured. Ravenflight leaned closer.

"You're not _that_ old, Tigerstar," he meowed. "Come on, you and me should go off and do something! Just like the old days, when we were trying to find those lost cats. Remember that? We had so many good times."

Tigerstar purred softly and rolled over onto his back, exposing his soft, furry underbelly to the sunray. He grunted. "We did," he admitted. "And it was worth it in the end, wasn't it? Now the elders have a new story to argue the details of."

"Remember climbing the mountain?" Ravenflight asked, flopping down on his belly across from Tigerstar. He reached out a paw to bat the larger cat's muzzle. Tigerstar countered the blow easily, grinning.

"Yes, and the snow?"

"And the hawk?"

"And falling into the Tribe's valley?"

"And Flight?"

Tigerstar wrinkled his nose at the she-cat's name. He remembered all too well the persistent Tribe queen who had been bent on having Tigerstar's kits. Ravenflight gave a loud _mrrow_ of amusement, and swiped one playful blow after the other at Tigerstar's head. While the dark tabby was fending off the first, the second connected with the side of his face. He growled.

"And our water battle with Starshine at that lake place?"

Ravenflight flipped over, howling with laughter at the memory. His back legs kicked the air, his purring filling the air with the joy of springtime and good memories relived. Tigerstar pulled himself onto his belly to watch, his expression one of faint amusement. "You know, it really wasn't that funny," he meowed seriously. Ravenflight stopped.

"Give me a break, Tigerstar," he retorted playfully. "I can laugh at whatever I want to. You can't control that much about the Clan."

"I can try, though." Tigerstar hissed, arching his back. Ravenflight returned the mock threat, and the two toms flung themselves at each other, rolling around in a playful tussle. Tigerstar felt his paws slip down his deputy's sleek, smooth-muscled flanks and tried a new approach. Ravenflight was slippery as a fish; there was no good way to get a grip on him.

"Look at you two," Starshine murmured, shaking her head disapprovingly. Honeypelt was beside her, her mouth full of fresh-kill. The two she-cats had been out hunting, it seemed. Ravenflight broke away shamefully, leaving Tigerstar grappling with thin air for a few seconds.

"The mighty leader and deputy of FourClan fighting like apprentices," Honeypelt added, dropping her prey. Tigerstar was panting slightly, but he pressed his nose to hers, purring.

"Every cat starts as one," he told her.

"That reminds me," Ravenflight meowed, straightening up. "I've got to find Shadepaw. We were going to poke around near the Thunderpath today, so he could learn the proper way to cross it."

"Going to practice it, are you?" Tigerstar asked. "Be careful. I'm not keen on losing any apprentices—or deputies, for that matter." Ravenflight's amber eyes glowed as he rasped his tongue over Tigerstar's ear.

"Bossy old furball," he muttered playfully before sticking out his tongue and trotting away. Tigerstar smiled, quirking his muzzle up at the corners. He considered shouting _And don't you forget it!_ after the black tomcat. But the urge passed, leaving him feeling somewhat unfulfilled.

"Come on, Tigerstar," Honeypelt ordered. Tigerstar didn't feel like telling her a warrior shouldn't take that tone of voice when addressing the Clan leader. "Everyone else is working, you should too."

"I'll take out a patrol for myself," Tigerstar replied, heaving himself to his paws. He started to lick his scuffle-rumpled pelt smooth, paying close attention to the dust and disarrayed stripes. He had to admit: he was a little vain. When he had finished, he gave himself a quick shake—probably messing up the neat tabby markings—and started for the camp entrance. After the playfight with Ravenflight, he felt more awake and ready to move around. The dark tabby tom slipped out the camp entrance and into the forest.

The trees that the Twoleg monsters hadn't brought crashing down were sending out their first leaves, the feather-like scraps of green turned toward the sun. There had been rain the previous night, a downpour so vicious that Tigerheart had been forced to take shelter in the nearest den: the nursery. The ground was and muddy, and Tigerstar found himself hard-pressed to stay on all four paws. He spotted a small tree, which was nothing more than a stick with two leaves on it, lying almost flat on the ground in the shadow of an oak. Tigerstar gripped the seedling in his teeth gently and moved it into the sun, making sure to press its roots in the wet earth firmly.

That taken care of, Tigerstar went on. He didn't really know why he had moved the tree. Maybe it was his deep longing for the old forest, the thick, lush groupings of trees broken by the occasional clearing. _If that's the case, then perhaps what I'm doing is right._ The dark tabby paused beside the river. It was roaring from last night's precipitation, but Tigerstar knew that once the excess water flowed through, it would settle down again. Newleaf was in full burst now, and the forest was starting to fill with life once more.

But there was something else that bothered him.

Tigerstar pricked up his ears. Of course. It hadn't changed. He could hear the soft whispers and occasional calls of the territory's other inhabitants, but it had been getting softer over the past moon. It seemed that slowly, steadily, the other animals were losing confidence in the forest's vitality. Prey could still be hunted, yes, but it took longer than it should to find a mouse or rabbit. Foxes and badgers—Tigerstar had seen a few, so he knew there were still some there—kept to themselves too much for any good to come of it.

The big tomcat sighed and lapped from a nearby puddle. His thirst taken care of, he headed for the river's narrowing point, where the gap from bank to bank lessened to a mere tail-length. He made an easy leap across and scented the air. Tigerstar could smell nothing other than the fresh rain and growth of newleaf. And Tigerheart. The leader of FourClan spotted the dark tom a few foxlengths ahead and called a greeting. Tigerheart whipped around, dropping the rabbit he'd caught in surprise.

"Oh...Tigerstar!" he mewed as the massive tom padded up to him. "I didn't see you there. I'm just hunting."

There was something suspicious in his tone, but Tigerstar ignored it. "Nice catch," he commented, nudging the rabbit with a forepaw. "That'll feed a few cats."

Tigerheart's green eyes narrowed and he looked away. "Yes, I like to think so," he murmured to his white paws. "Just proving that I can be a good warrior."

"You don't have to prove anything to me or any cat," Tigerstar told him. "You did your punishment and you learned your lesson well. All of FourClan knows you'll try harder to be a good and loyal cat now. You don't have to do impressive things to make them believe in you."

"I guess you're right." Tigerheart's tail twitched. "Well, safe exploring to you, Tigerstar." He picked up the rabbit and started in the direction of the camp.

"And you, Tigerheart," Tigerstar replied. "StarClan light your path." He too turned and headed in the direction of what was once the ThunderClan camp. He didn't give Tigerheart another thought. The headstrong, ambitious warrior had cooled his paws with apprentice duties and didn't appear to be a threat to Ravenflight's authority anymore.

Tigerstar noted with some satisfaction that the bramble barrier around the ThunderClan camp was starting to grow back. The clearing was still bare and level to the ground, but there was definite improvement. Tigerstar couldn't help himself as he trotted to a familiar corner of the camp. This was where the nursery had been once. He saw himself as Tigerkit, scuffling playfully with his friend and one-day mate Goldenkit while their mothers watched and shared tongues. The memory filled him with warmth.

Warmth that was quickly stolen by the sight of the bare, muddy ground.

Bitterly, he turned his head away from the bare patch that was now no different from the rest of the former Clan camp. "That's over now," he murmured sadly. "That's over, and it will never be again." He started out of the clearing. "Why, StarClan?"

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There really was no danger in the forest, Tigerstar reflected as he made his way back to camp at sundown. The Twolegs were gone. The prey was there. The trees were sprouting and sheltering their offspring from the harsh elements. It was almost boring, the safety surrounding them. He longed for the old ways. Four Clans, each one fiercely scrapping with another every few weeks until the full moon brought them together in peace. He wanted there to be four rival Clans again, to have that sense of loyalty to one Clan and one Clan alone.

When every cat in the territory belonged to the same Clan, patrols and apprentice training seemed almost pointless. There would be no battles, no enemy warriors, no real need for Clan loyalty. It was almost as if the warrior code was crumbling out from under FourClan. Tigerstar sighed unhappily. Well, it wasn't as though he could really change his destiny. He had been sent by StarClan to find these cats and bring them together under one name. There was no escaping it.

_It's no use wishing for something else,_ Tigerstar thought glumly. _It's not as if I want danger to fall right on top of FourClan and bring us out of the monotony. But I just wish that something would happen, something nonlethal and interesting._

"Why the long face, Tigerstar?" The warm fur of Honeypelt rubbed against the pensive tom's flank, jolting him to the present. He looked into her pale eyes, hoping to find the reckless rogue spark that had so attracted him to her. _Thank StarClan!_ She may be Honeypelt, but the Sasha Tigerstar had fallen in love with was still in her heart. "Fall in the river?"

"Not on your life," he rumbled, licking her cheek tenderly. "Just thinking, that's all. Did you do anything with Cloudpaw today?" He regretted the question instantly. Honeypelt sighed.

"What's there _to_ do?" she asked, tail twitching. "She fights like a LionClan warrior and hunts like a CheetahClan cat. She can walk around the territory backwards and with her eyes closed, I'd bet!" She stopped, noticing Tigerstar's pained expression. "I'm not the only one, then."

"Far from it. Sometimes I think the cats who've never seen the old forest are the only ones enjoying themselves in the new one."

"Ravenflight!" Tigerstar turned to face his deputy. The black tom grimaced.

"I couldn't help overhearing," he growled, ears pressed flat. "Stop me if I'm saying the wrong thing, but I'm starting to wonder if Tigerheart's misbehavior was the only thing keeping the territory interesting." He flicked Tigerstar's ear-tip with his tail. "Kind of makes you want to go off on another adventure, doesn't it, Tigerstar?"

Tigerstar rolled his amber eyes. "It does, but it's not the right thing to do. If you ask my opinion, the only thing we can really do is—" He was interrupted by a high-pitched yelp from somewhere outside the camp. The three cats gathered stiffened and bristled as one. Ravenflight was the first of them to do anything else.

"Into the elders den!" he yowled to the few cats lounging around in the camp. They scrambled to their paws, hastily trying to obey. "Some cat stay with Fishbelly in the nursery!" Arrowstripe darted towards the brambles, but Joey, Fishbelly's mate, was faster. He pelted in a streak of orange and white across the mucky ground and dove into the gap in the thorns that marked the entrance.

Tigerstar pushed his hackles straight up and made a move to stand in front of Honeypelt. He received a sharp smack for his efforts as the former rogue spat, "I'm pregnant, but I'm not helpless!" He said nothing, but eased back slightly. Ravenflight bounded back to Tigerstar's side, bristling and stiff-legged, his amber eyes wide with fear and excitement combined.

For moons it seemed, the three stood there, tense and ready for battle. Nothing happened. The cry did not sound again, and after a time, a few birds twittered their songs. Tigerstar relaxed slightly. That baying bark...he'd heard that before. But they were gone! That kittypet Firestar had driven them away...hadn't he? Tigerstar paced forward, ears back, tail bristling, paws trembling. He felt his breath rattling as his flanks quivered. He stood at the camp entrance, forcing his ears to prick up.

The bark sounded again, and the dark tabby stumbled backwards, landing hard on his tail in front of Honeypelt. The tawny she-cat curled her lip as she stared ahead. Her blue eyes were clouded with fear, fear that hung heavily around them, making the air chokingly thick. Tigerstar stumbled to his paws, now shaking from ears to tailtip. He didn't bother himself with what the other two cats thought of seeing him afraid. He knew they were just as scared as he was. He strode ahead again, Ravenflight at his flank.

"Tigerstar," the black tom mewed in the barest of whispers, "what was that?"

There was a tremor in Tigerstar's voice as he answered, a slight quiver that he couldn't help. "Something very, very dangerous, Ravenflight," he replied. Gulping down the stinging bile of fear, he repeated, "Very, very dangerous."

"Wh...What is it?" Honeypelt whispered, coming up on Tigerstar's other side. She was shivering all over, her tail bristled to twice its normal size. Tigerstar gave her a swift, comforting lick, feeling her whole body tremble beneath his tongue. Instinctively, his long, hooked claws slid out and gripped the soft ground below his paws.

"A dog," he breathed. "A dog like nothing we've ever dreamed of."

The three FourClan cats stood at the entrance of the camp long after the dog's yip had faded from the air and from their ears. They did not—could not—relax a muscle. With painful slowness, the rest of FourClan started to appear, their eyes wide and fearful as they waited for the dogs to burst into the camp and destroy them all. Tigerstar felt his muscles begin to grow stiff and cramp uncomfortably, but he didn't dare ease up his tight stance. Fear kept him rooted to the spot.

Slowly, his tightened mind formed a thought. It passed the thought from the deepest recesses of his brain to the front, where he considered it carefully and thoughtfully. The idea it presented troubled him greatly.

He could not recall seeing either Tigerheart or the rabbit he had caught in the camp.

**There. Cliffy, yeah, I know, but still a little action-y. At least, I think so. I must make a confession, though. I've been...writing fillers for quite some time now. Actually, the last two chapters, really. But that doesn't matter. I'm finally getting back to the original plot!**

**Tigerstar: Thank StarClan!**

**Ravenflight: It's about time.**

**Yeah, I know.**

**Sasha: Well, we're back in business, eh, Ruthie?**

**Too true, Sash! Ehhhhnyways, I like to think the story will pick up a little more steam now, so hopefully, you can get back into it. Oh, and for all the Tigerheart haters out there, it's probably what you think. ;)**

**Tigerstar: What is that supposed to mean?**

**I don't...know. XD Anyways, that's Chapter Six for you! Hope you enjoyed. By the time you finish reading this sentence, I'll probably be halfway finished the next one. (is currently ahead of the game)**

**Starshine: Huzzah!**


	7. Gathering Clouds

**Ravenflight: Ruthie, can I do another chapter?**

**Why? I thought you hated doing them?**

**Ravenflight: Well, I...**

**Tigerstar: It was really only an act. He actually loves doing chapters.**

**Really?**

**Ravenflight: (shaking his head)**

**Tigerstar: (nodding his head)**

**Sasha: (holding up a sign that says "Tomcats are Morons")**

**Starshine: (pointing to the sign)**

**...What can I honestly say to this scenario? I am at a loss for words here. I guess the only thing I can really say is...why not let Ravenflight do a chapter? He's been a good boy...cat...**

_Ravenflight's POV_

_A dog...A dog like nothing we've ever dreamed of._ Ravenflight kept repeating Tigerstar's words to himself long after the incident was over. His mind was completely numb. Then something stirred in his brain, a tiny flicker of moons long passed. The black deputy stopped in his pacing, amber eyes narrowing in thought.

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_Flashback!_

Ravenpaw groomed gently behind Firestar's ears, his heart filling with pity for the tom who looked as though he'd died, gone to StarClan, then forced back to earth. A few scraps of fur lay scattered in the hay beside them, the remains of a few plump mice. Firestar started to lick Ravenpaw's sleek, dark flank, and the two old friends shared tongues.

"Bluestar is dead," Barley repeated. Ravenpaw gave a sympathetic murmur. He knew the loss of the ThunderClan leader was particularly hard on Barley. "How did it happen?"

"Tigerstar," Firestar meowed dully. Ravenpaw stiffened.

"Tigerstar killed her?" he asked, eyes huge. Firestar shook his orange-furred head.

"No. He somehow managed to catch a pack of huge dogs—dogs like you wouldn't believe!" The ginger tom sighed. "He kept them at Snakerocks, and fed them ThunderClan rabbits. When the time was right, he laid a trail of rabbits from Snakerocks to our camp. At the end of the trail..." His voice cracked.

"Firestar, you probably shouldn't. This is causing you too much pain—" Cinderpelt began, but Firestar cut her off with a flick of his tail.

"...At the end of the trail was Brindleface, killed that the pack would learn to eat and enjoy cats," he finished. Ravenpaw was shocked.

"I always knew Tigerstar was bloodthirsty," Ravenpaw meowed, "but I didn't think even he would try to destroy a whole Clan like that." **((Quote from _The Darkest Hour_, p. 64))**

Firestar nodded, his green eyes saying emphatically, _Neither did I, but he did._

Ravenpaw heard no more for a while longer, turning his tongue to Cinderpelt. He remembered the gray she-cat making her first journey to the Moonstone to be recognized by StarClan as Yellowfang's apprentice. _Apprentice warrior, apprentice medicine cat,_ he thought with a tinge of sorrow,_ what I wouldn't give to go back to that. Being a loner isn't so bad...but being a Clan cat was better._

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"Ravenflight!"

The black tomcat jerked around, eyes stretched wide in surprise. He let out a shaky sigh of relief. It was only Shadepaw. The jet-black tom touched his nose to that of his mentor. "Ravenflight," he repeated, "are we going to do anything today? I mean, I know there's a dog out there, but the dog isn't _everywhere_."

"That's just the thing." Tigerstar's deep meow came from behind Ravenflight. Ravenflight dipped his head respectfully to his former mentor. "Shadepaw, we don't know _where_ the dog is, so it's not safe to go anywhere."

"But..." Shadepaw's green eyes clearly showed his internal struggle: He wanted dearly to argue the point, but he knew he should just accept the word of his leader. He kneaded the ground and opened and closed his mouth soundlessly a few times. Finally, he gave up and stormed off. Ravenflight took a step towards him, then turned back to Tigerstar.

"Isn't there anything we could do?" he pleaded. "His sisters don't mind being confined somewhere, but Shadepaw isn't like that in the least. Couldn't we just do something—even a little trip around the outside of the camp?"

Tigerstar shook his head gravely. "I've seen what dogs like this one can do, Ravenflight," he replied. "I can't take that risk with you or any cat. We need to figure out a way to find where this dog is hiding and how to drive it away."

Ravenflight's shoulders drooped and he gave a soft sigh. "You're right," he murmured. "It's for the best. I just hope Shadepaw doesn't take it too hard." He glanced back at the huge tabby behind him. "I...heard stories about...what the dogs did to a few ThunderClan apprentices the last time they were here. Do you...do you worry about these young cats?"

"I do," Tigerstar meowed seriously, his amber eyes watching as Shadepaw swiped furiously at a small plant as he stalked past it. "I worry about them a lot now. Will Shadepaw do what Swiftpaw did and drag his littermates to their deaths? Will I start a war with my warrior ancestors as Bluestar did?" His flanks rippled with a shiver. "I hope not."

Ravenflight forgot for a moment that this was Tigerstar, his leader, and butted the dark tabby's side with his head in what passed for an affectionate, soothing gesture among tomcats. Tigerstar's purr hummed like distant thunder. "Thank you," he meowed. "I made you deputy for a reason, Ravenflight. You're a brilliant, compassionate tom, and your loyalty extends not only to the Clan, but also to me."

"I thought you made me deputy because you promised you would when we fought Ash," Ravenflight retorted, flicking Tigerstar with his tailtip. The dark tabby started towards the fresh-kill pile, beckoning with his tail for Ravenflight to follow him. "Unfortunately, since I told cats to not hunt so much, the fresh-kill pile is pretty low." Ravenflight heaved a silent sigh of relief. Tigerstar was talking about food. The utterance of the word 'unfortunately' had sent a ripple of foreboding down the tom's spine before the sentence had even been finished.

"I could take a few warriors out," the deputy offered. He rolled his eyes to the side thoughtfully. "Arrowstripe, Joey—not Honeypelt, she's pregnant and we can't risk her kits—maybe Nightfur? Some of the bigger warriors."

"And what about Tigerheart?" Tigerstar asked, flicking his tail towards the entrance of the camp. His tone was cold, his amber gaze suspicious. Tigerheart had entered, carrying in his mouth a small vole, as well as a squirrel and sparrow. His pelt was slightly rumpled, as if he'd given himself a very hasty wash recently, and his green eyes were too friendly as they centered on Ravenflight.

"He _is_ rather large..." Ravenflight admitted. He stopped, registering a perfect double-take on the dark tabby strolling towards the pile of prey. "Wait...Where's he been?"

"I was wondering when you'd catch on," Tigerstar muttered. His paws twitched, and Ravenflight knew he was struggling to hold his claws in their sheathes. "Yes, Tigerheart hasn't been back all day."

Ravenflight stepped forwards, blocking Tigerheart from the fresh-kill pile. "Where were you, Tigerheart?" he asked in a voice that carried tones of _Tell me before I rip you to shreds_ mixed with those of _Tell me before I rip you to shreds, dear friend._ Tigerheart's eyes narrowed as he dropped his catches onto the pile.

"I was hunting," he replied stiffly. "Don't tell me _that's _against the warrior code."

"Didn't you hear the dog barking?" the black tom demanded sharply. Tigerheart sat down, curling his tail over his paws.

"Yes. I saw it, too. Just another Twoleg pet on a leash. Don't ruffle your fur, Ravenflight." His face bore a sarcastic grin, and his tone was condescending. Ravenflight fought to keep his hackles smooth. _That puffed-up piece of foxdung...He'd better watch his tail around me._

"Well, then, I'm glad you spotted it," he gritted. "However, just to be on the safe side, I'd like to know where all my warriors are _just in case_," and he spat the words out, "it turns out to be something a little more dangerous."

Tigerheart suddenly shoved his muzzle up against Ravenflight's, his green eyes hot with rage. "Don't get too cocky," he hissed rapidly. "You're not Ravenstar just yet." He broke away, giving his tail a lax flip. "All right," he meowed louder. "I'll keep that in mind, Ravenflight. Sorry to cause trouble." And then he turned and walked away.

"Are you just going to take that like a newborn kit?" Tigerstar murmured in the black cat's ear. "Stand up for yourself, Ravenflight. You're Clan deputy, he's a warrior who just finished apprentice training. He may be older and larger, but you have experience he doesn't."

Ravenflight drew himself up stiffly and prowled up behind Tigerheart. He leapt in front of the tabby warrior, eyes blazing. "You'd better be careful," he snarled softly, ears pressed flat to his head. "You're not exactly everyone's favorite cat these days, Tigerheart. We're all losing patience with you very quickly."

"What are you going to do to me?" Tigerheart asked coyly. "Fight me here and now? Tigerstar will have your tail for a moonhigh snack!"

"Just watch yourself," Ravenflight repeated. "After all, there are some cats here who know more about you than you'd really like them to." Fear flashed in the green gaze for a heartbeat. Ravenflight felt a burst of triumph. _So Tigerheart has something to hide from FourClan..._ The black tom remembered how Tiger_claw_ had told him the same thing many moons ago, and that that was how he knew the Ravenpaw had seen Redtail's murder.

"I don't have anything to hide," Tigerheart snapped, leaping over the crouching Ravenflight in his path. Over his shoulder, he added in an undertone, "Only what I'm going to do to you someday."

_And you just made the biggest mistake of your life, Tigerheart,_ Ravenflight crowed in the silence of his heart. He felt a smug grin steal across his muzzle, and he turned his head to hide it from Tigerheart. He resolved not to tell Tigerstar just yet. The dark tabby was gazing hungrily at the fresh-kill at his paws. At length, he scooped up the squirrel and headed for the nursery.

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Starshine gave a sleepy murmur of annoyance as Ravenflight shifted away from her. The black tom froze, pricking up his ears for any signs of his mate waking up. Starshine sighed softly and flopped over to curl up beside Honeypelt. Ravenflight sighed with relief and crept on the tips of his toes from the halfnest.

Outside, he sat down in the center of the clearing to gaze up at the stars. "StarClan," he mewed quietly, "I'm lost. What am I going to do about Tigerheart? It's obvious he's hiding something from the Clan, which goes against your code, and I need to find out what it is he's keeping to himself. I hate having Tigerstar interfere...I feel as though I should handle the problem myself." He shook his head, staring hard at his paws. "Sandpelt says you've been silent over the past moon...are you still watching over us?"

The cold, faraway lights glittered like dew on dark fur, silent and distant. Ravenflight gave a loud growl. Racing from the camp, he darted up the nearest tree and yowled to Silverpelt, "You say you're always there for us! Why are you silent now, when we need you most? Why, StarClan, why?" No heavenly warrior appeared to the trouble deputy, no stars blazed across the black sky. Ravenflight felt alone and empty.

His angry howls still echoed through the trees, and there came the soft yip of a fox who'd just missed its kill. Ravenflight's claws shot out, gripping the trunk he perched on tightly. His eyes narrowed to amber slits. He vowed to keep a firmer watch on Tigerheart from now on. The white-pawed warrior was hiding something...something that could be dangerous.

A yelp split the air. Ravenflight flinched, then leapt down from the tree, swearing softly as one of his claws tore. He hobbled back tom camp as fast as he could, keeping the injured paw tucked up against his furry chest. He skidded to a halt outside the den and paused to set his pelt in order. Eyes shining in the gloom told him two warriors were up. "Ravenflight?" the meek mew of Starshine asked.

"Where did you go?" Joey queried. Ravenflight glanced swiftly beside him, to where the ball of tabby fur that was Tigerheart lay snuggled. He sighed and licked his paw. He tasted the sharp tang of blood and winced.

"Just...out," he replied, hoping fervently that neither cat would smell the blood. Joey frowned.

"We woke up to the dog barking," the ginger tabby meowed. "Why were you out of camp? You know there's a dog out there!"

"Please, Joey," Ravenflight muttered, limping into the den, "just let me sleep. I'll tell you everything tomorrow...just..." He curled up against Honeypelt and licked his paw. "Let me sleep," he repeated blankly. To his surprise, Joey dipped his head, green eyes saying without words, _You're the deputy, after all._ Ravenflight was grateful that while Joey was still adjusting to taking orders from a smaller cat, he seemed perfectly willing to do so. The tired FourClan deputy rested his head on his uninjured paw and fell asleep.

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The light turning the world behind his eyelids red told Ravenflight it was nearing sunhigh. He opened his eyes to an empty den. _Great StarClan! I overslept!_ Fuzzy-headed with sleep, he stumbled out into the open, blinking and yawning. A few of the warriors were gathered by the fresh-kill pile, chatting anxiously.

When Ravenflight stepped closer, Honeypelt whipped around. Her blue eyes were wide. "Ravenflight!" she gasped. "Thank StarClan you're awake!"

"W-what's wrong?" Ravenflight stuttered, caught off-guard by this sudden interest in his sleeping habits. He looked from cat to cat, eyes narrowing steadily. "And where's Tigerheart?"

Joey padded forward. "I told them not to wake you," he admitted sheepishly. "I said you'd been up late last night, and that you needed a clear head to deal with this."

"What—"

"I can't believe it!" wailed Arrowstripe, his dark pelt bristling with anxiety. His eyes were wide, and Nightfur was desperately trying to calm him down.

"Can't believe—"

"It's unthinkable!" Nightfur interrupted, turning to Ravenflight. "I can't believe he would have the nerve to do something like that!"

"Something like wh—"

"Ravenflight!" Fishbelly mewed, slipping from the nursery entrance. "Great StarClan! I've been listening from the nursery, and quite frankly, I can't believe it. Is it really true?" Her blue eyes were glittering with excitement and fear combined.

"Is what really—"

"You have to do something!" Sandpelt yowled, padding closer to him. "That's one of my kits out there, and there's a dog on the loose! Ravenflight!"

"Ravenflight!"

"Raven_fli-i-i-ight!_"

"Raven—"

"ENOUGH!!"

Every cat turned to see Tigerstar striding confidently towards the tangle of FourClan cats. He stepped neatly around a couple of apprentices and stood behind Ravenflight. His amber gaze was stern as it swept the silent cats in front of him. "Now tell me something," he meowed slowly. "How do you expect Ravenflight to do _anything_ if you won't tell him what's wrong?" He pointed. "Honeypelt, you're the spokescat. Tell us what the problem is."

The tawny she-cat, her belly starting to show some signs of roundness, rose gracefully to her paws. Her eyes centered on Ravenflight, and she spoke directly to him. "Before every cat started interrupting you," she explained, "you said that Tigerheart was missing. This is true. We haven't see hide nor hair of him all morning. And what's worse..." She swept her tail to the apprentices. "Whitepaw went missing with him."

Ravenflight reeled backwards, glad that Tigerstar's powerful leg were there to break his fall. He looked from Honeypelt, to Arrowstripe, to Sandpelt. Then, his eyes found Shadepaw. He crouched down in front of his apprentice, who was staring fixedly at his paws. "Shadepaw, did you see anything?" he asked.

"T...T...T..."

"Tigerheart?"

"Yeah. T...Tigerheart...came into our...d-den...Said he wanted us to...come with him..." Shadepaw gulped, shaking like a leaf. Sandpelt wrapped her tail around his flanks and gave him a gentle wash behind the ears to calm him down. "I...I don't trust him...Cloudp-paw was too...sleepy...Leafpaw was on m-my side...b-but W-Whitepaw..."

"She went with him?" Ravenflight pressed. Shadepaw gulped again, nodding. Ravenflight nosed him gently and scraped a mouse from the fresh-kill pile with a hind paw. "This is a special case. You can eat this before you hunt." He looked up at the remaining two apprentices. "You should eat as well."

"Cats of FourClan," Tigerstar began sadly, "it would seem that one of our number is up to no good." His eyes burned into those of every cat present. "And he is doing so under the worst of circumstances. A patrol of warriors shall leave to find Tigerheart and Whitepaw and bring them back safely."

"And what about Tigerheart?" Arrowstripe asked. He was seething with rage. "He put my apprentice in danger! I want his fur to line my nest!"

"No cat will harm Tigerheart," Ravenflight told him, surprising himself as well as the other cat. "While he is disobedient and a general pain in the neck"—a few amused purrs broke out, lessening the tension heavy in the air—"he is one of our own, and if he is to be punished, it will be done so fairly."

"Well said." Tigerstar gave Ravenflight a hearty nudge. "Choose the best cats, Ravenflight. We leave immediately."

"Starshine, Nightfur, Joey, and myself will go to find Tigerheart," the black tom said for all to hear. "Arrowstripe, Honeypelt, you will stay behind to guard the camp." He fixed them each with a firm stare. "Protect it well."

"Why am I staying behind?" Arrowstripe demanded.

"Arrowstripe," Ravenflight mewed gently, "you are full of the want for revenge. It's not that I don't trust you, it's that I don't trust what that vindictiveness will do to Tigerheart."

The dark tom looked as though he would like to protest, but Honeypelt caught his eyes and shook her head. He sighed. "Very well," he muttered, dipping his head in submission to Ravenflight. The dark deputy was grateful for the she-cat, who made an effort to keep the other former rogues subordinate to Ravenflight.

"Are we all ready?" Tigerstar asked, lifting his tail to summon the chosen cats forward. The dark tabby shared a few soft words with Arrowstripe before they departed. Ravenflight wondered what he was says; the dark-furred warrior looked placated and swept Shadepaw's sisters under his belly, nodding resolutely. Tigerstar padded to the head of the group to stand beside his deputy. The amber gazes met, burning with hidden fear and hatred for what Tigerheart was doing. Then, throwing back their head, they yowled in unison and surged out of the camp, the chosen warrior bounding behind them.

The hunt was on!

**Ooh, I'm evil, aren't I? Giving you yet another cliffhanger. X3 Me so bad...**

**Tigerstar: Well, Ravenflight, you got your chapter. And I think you're going to give Tigerheart what's coming to him.**

**Oh, I wouldn't plan on that just yet.**

**Ravenflight: What?!**

**Chill down, Ravenflight. I said "yet." That means it will happen in the future. Which means you're gonna have to wait for it.**

**Sasha: Will I get to have a piece?**

**It is entirely possible.**

**Arrowstripe: And me?**

**(All turn to stare at the dark warrior.)**

**Umm...since when did you do the end-of-chapter notes, Arrowstripe?**

**Tigerstar: You're a minor character. You shouldn't be here.**

**Starshine: Ruthie, am I ever going to—**

**Great StarClan, Starshine!! Yours will come a month after Sasha's! After all, you _did_ mate later than she did.**

**Starshine: Actually, I was going to ask you if I was ever going to do a chapter.**

**...Awkward...**

**Tigerstar: Ya think?**

**As a side note, has anyone else noticed that the color of Arrowstripe's fur remains a mystery? I don't know why.**


	8. Tigerheart's Treachery

**And so, after a very awkward end to Chapter Seven, we of Team Ruthie look forwards to a bright, happy, unawkward beginning to Chapter Eight. :D I decided to give you two chapters because you're all so awesome.**

**Tigerstar: Unawkward isn't even a word, Ruthie.**

**Shut up. Yes it is!**

**Ravenflight: The dictionary doesn't have it, though.**

**(slams the heavy, 1983 Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary shut, missing his tail by inches ::Fire and Water readers know what I'm talking about::) THE DICTIONARY LIES!!! MUAHAHAHAHA!!!!**

**Starshine: (picks up Ruthie's _katana_)**

**Oh...Percent sign-asterisk-ampersand-thunderbolt...(runs away with Starshine chasing her) I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND!!!**

**Sasha: After the end to the last chapter? I think it'll be a while before she forgives you. (turns to Tigerstar) Should we stop them?**

**Tigerstar: Nah...(leans back with a tin of Fancy Feast in his paw) This is too good to pass up.**

**Ravenflight: Are you gonna finish that? (points to the tin)**

**Tigerstar: Yes. **

**Warning! This chapter will get pretty nasty, so read at your own risk.**

_Tigerstar's POV_

"It's so quiet..."

Tigerstar jumped slightly at the whispered words of Ravenflight beside him. A wry grin crossed his face. _Well, that certainly proved how quiet it was,_ he joked to himself. Then the direness of the situation at paw struck him full-on, wiping the smile away instantly. The massive tabby opened his jaws to drink in the air. "I can scent Tigerheart," he meowed. He heard the distinctive _whoosh_ of claws unsheathing.

Ravenflight's black head swung around curiously. "I think I can see a part of his trail," he mewed. "Starshine"—the silver tabby queen darted to his side—"you still have the Tribe's tracking skills. After tracking across stone, this should be easy, right?"

"You can only see _part_ of his trail?" she teased, nuzzling him tenderly. "It sticks out like a torn claw." She glanced at the FourClan deputy's right paw, which was still tucked up against his chest. "Oh...right, well, the point is, I can easily tell you where he's been."

Tigerstar flicked his tail. "Take the lead. We need every cat's skill to make this work out."Starshine dipped her head in assent and struck out across ground that Tigerstar couldn't see any difference in.

_You'd better be thinking up a good excuse, Tigerheart,_ Tigerstarthought. _We're hot on your paws and yowling for your blood. I don't think you have any friends left in this Clan after everything you've done._

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The huge tabby lifted his tail to stop the warriors behind him. His whiskers twitched, his nose scrunched up in disgust at the reek of blood, fear, and dog that hung heavily in the air. Beside him, Ravenflight let out a low hiss and sank his claws into the soft ground. Starshine stood stiffly at the edge of the clearing that was once the ThunderClan camp, her ears flattened in fear. Tigerstar jerked his head for Ravenflight and pushed into the clearing.

Blood spattered the ground in erratic splashes of red, and tufts of fur—both cat's and dog's—lay scattered about the bare ground. The soil was churned up, as if by huge paws. Deep scratches were gouged into the dirt. Tigerstar hissed softly, pelt bristling, "There he is."

Lying on the ground a few tail-lengths away was Tigerheart. His body position suggested he had been lifted up and then suddenly dropped.. The ground was slowly turning red in a spreading circle around him. He didn't appear to be breathing.

"What in the name of StarClan happened here?" Ravenflight whispered, walking slowly with his pelt brushing Tigerstar's. The dark tabby was silent for a while. Finally, he answered.

"I'm not sure. It looks like the dog attacked him."

Ravenflight nudged him sharply and pointed with his tail. In the small corner where the medicine cat's den would have been, right where the split rock once sat, four holes had been scraped roughly into the soil. Ravenflight's black fur started to rise. "Dogs," he corrected in a voice raspy with growing terror. "Tigerstar...There's not just one dog. There's a pack of them out there."

Tigerstar opened his mouth to answer, when a sharp squeal cut him off. He swivelled his head around so quickly he heard the bones crack together. A small, red-stained, white paw was poking out from a crack in one of the halfnests. Tigerstar bounded over, leaping over Tigerheart's motionless body. "Whitepaw!" he cried.

It took some time to convince the terrified she-cat to squeeze from her hiding place. Tigerstar assessed the damage quickly. Her pelt was ruffled, her paws were soaked in blood—though it was not her own—, and she had a nasty-looking scratch on the side of her face, but aside from that, she was whole and alive. Starshine took charge of her, licking and purring to soothe her.

Tigerstar turned to study Tigerheart closely for the first time. His amber eyes narrowed in disgust. One of the tabby tom's ears was shredded badly, and chunks of fur were missing from his pelt. The dark tom retched softly. One of Tigerheart's front paws was missing along with half the leg. He heard a spit of disgust from Ravenflight. "Looks like the dogs decided the rabbits he was bringing them weren't enough," he commented dryly. Tigerstar gave a low grunt of agreement.

"Joey!" he yowled, summoning the ginger warrior. "You're the swiftest. Run back to camp. Get Sandpelt, tell her it's urgent!"

Joey took one look at Tigerheart and fled, his pelt bristling out stiffly. Tigerstar turned his attention to the wayward warrior lying at his paws. "Come on," he grunted. "Ravenflight, help me clean him up. No, not his leg—I'll do that. We need to clean out these wounds as best we can while we wait for Sandpelt to arrive."

"Is he even alive?" Ravenflight asked in disbelief. Tigerstar narrowed his eyes.

"He'd better be," he growled. "The Clan will tumult if our only link to the dog pack is destroyed. Something tells me Tigerheart has known about the pack for quite some time now. If any cat knows about their habits, he does."

"I thought you once controlled a pack like this," Ravenflight mewed.

"'Controlled' is not the right word," Tigerstar told him, trying to swallow the bile as he neared Tigerheart's bloody leg. After a few licks, he found himself feeling utterly sick to his stomach—he could feel the rough end of the gnawed bone. He shivered feverishly. "StarClan knows what goes on in the minds of these brutes...and maybe they don't even know. No, Ravenflight, I found them and brought them fresh-kill. I only manipulated them, never controlled them."

"So you don't really know?" Ravenflight rubbed a smear of red from his black nose with the backside of a paw, grimacing. Tigerstar nodded. Below him, Tigerheart convulsed and let out a racking cough. The two cats flinched.

"Well, he's alive," Tigerstar muttered. Ravenflight twitched his tail and nodded grudgingly.

"Pack, pack!" Tigerheart rasped, his flanks quivering and twitching. "Kill, kill!"

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"Whitepaw!" yowled Sandpelt, sprinting across the bloody clearing to crouch beside her daughter. "Whitepaw, you're alive! Oh, and you're hurt! Come with mother, I'll get you cleaned up—"

"Tigerheart," Starshine growled, pointing the way to the injured warrior. Sandpelt ignored her. "Whitepaw will live without your attention longer than Tigerheart will."

"Foxdung to that!" the ginger medicine cat spat. "He deserves to die!"

"Whitepaw! Whitepaw!"

Tigerstar sat up and rolled his eyes. "Joey, did you bring the entire _Clan_?" he demanded as Shadepaw, Leafpaw, and Cloudpaw burst into the clearing, hot on their mother's paws. The three apprentices rushed toward their sister, eyes wide, tails like stiff, icy grass-blades. Joey followed behind them, his head bowed shamefully.

"They...I swore I heard someone trailing us...Sandpelt said to ignore it, though...siad it was nothing," he mumbled, casting his leader a swift glance. "S-sorry, Tigerstar..."

"Well," Tigerstar sighed, knowing full well Sandpelt had brought the three extra cats there intentionally, "there's no turning back time. Very well. Sandpelt, please come here." He turned to the she-cat who was cradling her children in her paws, purring soft nursery lullabies to them. His lip curled. "_Sandpelt_," he repeated, a little more urgently. "_In case you haven't noticed, there's a warrior here bleeding to death!_"

"I've noticed," Sandpelt sneered, her voice cold. "Why should I care?"

Ravenflight stepped forward to confront her. "For starters, that's no way to address your Clan leader," he meowed. "Secondly, Tigerheart is our only link to the dogs." Sandpelt's sky blue gaze filled with fear. "Yes. If he dies, we don't know anything about them: where they are, how many there are, whether or not they have pups...It's in FourClan's advantage to let him live."

Her eyes narrowed to icy slits, but Sandpelt heaved herself to her paws and staggered away from the four apprentices. Starshine took over for her, licking them and whispering soothing words to them. She studied the injured warrior with disgust—whether from his sickening injuries or from who it was, Tigerstar was clueless. "Well, it's not good," she replied, her voice carrying tones of a snarl. "He may have lost too much blood from that paw, and I don't know if that fur will ever grow back. It's dangerous to move him at this point, and it probably will be for a few days."

"Will you do what you can?" Tigerstar asked gently, fully aware that he was not Sandpelt's favorite cat right now. The bitterness left the ginger cat beside him, reverting her back to her calm self. She sighed.

"I will...But I can't promise you anything, Tigerstar."

"That's all I needed," Tigerstar replied. "I'll have the warriors fetch you what you need from your den and I'll hunt for you personally." He saw gratitude flicker in the queen's eyes. She dipped her head. "I just wish we could move him from this place." He flicked his tail to the scratched-out nests. "I think this is the pack's den."

"We can certainly try," Sandpelt murmured. "If we could get him onto your back without moving him too much, we could get him back to the camp to treat him." She winked. "And you wouldn't have to go out and hunt for me."

"That's the best plan we can put into use. Ravenflight, help me."

It took a bit of careful maneuvering, and, after seemingly moons of listening to Sandpelt whisper, "_Gently,_ Ravenflight!", Tigerheart's body was draped across Tigerstar's broad-shouldered back. Ravenflight called Nightfur over, and the two black toms padded beside Tigerstar the whole way back, keeping Tigerheart in place with their shoulders. Sandpelt struck out ahead, and the four apprentices tagged alongside her. Joey walked backwards, his whole body stiff as though he saw dogs leaping out at him from behind every bush.

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Tigerstar retreated to his den, soaking and shivering, but unable to stop purring. He and Ravenflight, not wanting to taste another drop of Tigerheart's blood, had stumbled quite literally onto a way to get clean without licking. They had hunted shortly after seeing the dark tabby warrior safe in Sandpelt's den. Tigerstar was trying his paw at fishing, when Ravenflight bounded up behind him and yowled loudly. Startled, Tigerstar had jerked clumsily to his paws and tumbled into the river...but not before hooking his claws into Ravenflight's black pelt.

They had fallen into a shallower part of the river, fortunately, and had climbed out without any trouble at all. It had felt good: the water was cold and sharing private bursts of apprentice-like mischief with Ravenflight alone was something he'd wanted to do for a while. It let him forget about Tigerheart, and just what he was going to do to the tabby tom once he recovered...and once the dog pack was taken care of.

_And now,_ Tigerstar thought with a sort of mental sigh, _Tigerheart. What do we know about him?_ The huge tom flopped down on his nest, licking his drippy pelt against the lie of the fur to dry it. _He's been feeding these dogs for StarClan knows how long, and he wanted the apprentices to go to the dogs...why? _"What could he possibly want to do with them?" he asked aloud. The stone that had once been the Great Rock gave no reply, and even though he knew it wouldn't, Tigerstar couldn't help wishing it had.

_What purpose would he serve, showing the apprentices the dog pack? And for that matter, why does he even need the pack? What on earth could he possibly..._

"No," Tigerstar whispered hoarsely, lifting his head to stare at the walls of his dark den. "No...He couldn't...But he _did_..." The full shock of what the white-footed tomcat had done hit Tigerstar like a hefty blow from a badger's paw. His mind reeled, his tail twitched, he wanted to yowl the shock of his discovery to StarClan.

Tigerheart was doing exactly what Tigerstar had done so many, many moons ago.

The dark brown tabby dropped his head miserably onto his paws, quivering as the memories washed over him again and again in a ceaseless tide. His long claws unsheathed and dug themselves deeply into the earth floor of his cave. Oh great StarClan...why hadn't he seen it sooner?

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_Flashback!_

It was clever, brilliant! This plan couldn't fail him, no matter what happened! Tigerstar, ShdowClan's new leader, paced his den excitedly as the ideas seared themselves permanently into his brain.

A dog pack, made of dogs no Clan cat had ever seen the likes of before, had moved into ThunderClan territory. He'd seen them making a den in the caves at Snakerocks when he was still a rogue, still Tigerclaw. In their own time, they would probably start chasing and eating the forest cats, but...why wait? Tigerstar stopped pacing and nodded to himself.

_I could hunt their prey—no, rabbits! Hunt their rabbits! Make them think it's a WindClan invasion._ He smirked. _That kittypet Fireheart...imagine the look on his face when he thinks his precious WindClan allies turned on him! Yes, feed them rabbits, gain their trust...But what if they get too used to eating rabbits? What if they only want to eat rabbits?_

The answer came simply and coldly, like a sudden frost. The dark tom ceased his nervous walking once more, a sinister grin stealing across his muzzle. "They'll just have to learn to eat cats," he murmured. "And what better way to learn than to smell the provider's scent on the cat before them?"

It was a bold plan, yes, but it would work! "Bluestar, Fireheart," Tigerstar whispered as he gazed up at the moon from between his den's tangled branches, "just you wait. You will rue the day you cast Tigerclaw—who should be Tigerstar of ThunderClan—from your number. You will rue the day..."

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The trail was laid, the trap was set, Tigerstar couldn't think of anything else he needed to do, except...But how? How would he find the right cat to kill for the pack? It wasn't as if the perfect tom or she-cat would just fall right into his waiting paws—

"I'm going out hunting, Fernpaw," a familiar voice meowed gently. There was a pause and silence, or more likely, a reply was coming softly from far away. "No, no, don't follow me. Darkstripe wouldn't like it if his apprentice suddenly vanished." Another pause. "Go back to sleep, Fernpaw, it's still early in the morning."

There was the rustle of dry, dead leaves on warm, living fur. Tigerstar caught the familiar scent of ThunderClan mixed with that of a cat he knew well, one of his former mate's friends. Brindleface. The dark tom slunk through the leaf-fall forest, carefully tracking the tabby she-cat's every step. He needed her to get away from the camp, so no one would hear them fight...if there would even _be_ a fight. Judging by the sound of her voice, Brindleface was still half-asleep. Tigerstar, on the other paw, had been up practically all night, and was wide awake.

Up past the sandy training hollow, Brindleface padded, unawares that she was being hunted like prey—ironically, as she thought she was the hunter. _Oh no,_ Tigerstar thought, _this time, you're the hunted._ He clamped down on a _mrrow_ of triumph. No, save it for after the scuffle, when he was standing over her body.

Brindleface stopped, lifting her head to the wind to scent the air curiously. Her lip curled back as she adopted the stance of a cat ready to fight. "I can scent you, Tigerstar," she growled. "You're part of ShadowClan now. Stay off our land."

"Oh, but Brindleface," Tigerstar mewed smoothly, slipping sleekly from his hiding spot to stand a head taller than she, "if I leave, who will protect you from the dogs? That kittypet you call a deputy? The leader who's lost her wits?"

Brindleface arched her back and hissed, "No cat asked you! I'm only going to warn you once, Tigerstar. Leave. I'm not afraid of you. You know how close I am to Goldenflower, and I know you'd never do anything to hurt her!"

"Would I? Because...well, maybe you wouldn't know, but there's another cat out there." Tigerstar unsheathed his claws. Brindleface did the same, her tiny talons dwarfed by Tigerstar's huge tearers. "I couldn't care less about a ThunderClan queen. Now, are you going to go quietly, or do we have to fight? Violence isn't always the answer, you know."

"Whatever it is you want from me, I'd rather die than give it to you!" Brindleface yowled. Tigerstar swiped a paw at her muzzle, but she dodged back quickly. The massive tomcat crouched, his voice low and rumbly as he and Brindleface circled each other.

"I think you'll regret that threat," he growled. "You see, the only way you can give it to me is to die. As I said, you can go quietly, or we can fight. If you submit, I promise I'll make it quick and painless."

"Never!" Brindleface lunged forward, her paw outstretched. Tigerstar knocked the blow away, pinning the tabby as she drew too close. He smiled at her.

"Never?" he asked as her paws battered his shoulders and head again and again. "You're certainly in no position to deny me what I came for, Brindleface. Trust me"—he gripped her shoulders fiercely with his long claws, and she gasped in pain—"I'll still make it easy on you." He fangs dug deep into her throat, sending out a wet, hot torrent of blood.

The pretty queen yowled piercingly with her dying breath. Her whole body convulsed as she shrieked. Tigerstar watched, faint amusement flickering in his amber eyes. This was almost fun to watch. He flicked his tail rhythmically, counting the twitches until the ThunderClan she-cat moved no more. Without a word, he grasped her by the back of the neck and dragged her to the end of his rabbit trail, making sure to cover her lifeless body with his scent. Now to wait.

_End Flashback!_

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He could see it all now. The gut-wrenching memories left him feeling sick and weak. Had he really been so ruthless? The answer, unfortunately, was yes. Now his mind presented him with another question, one he had been expecting to have to answer at some point. Was _Tigerheart_ really so ruthless?

The answer was yes.

No room left in his mind for doubt, Tigerstar stood up resolutely, swaying precariously as his churning belly and trembling legs made him feel dizzy. Tigerheart was more than just a pain in the neck...he had the potential to be a murderer! Just then a paw tapped the outside of Tigerstar's rocky den. "Tigerstar?" It was Ravenflight. "Tigerstar, remember how Whitepaw fainted when we brought her back? She's just come to...and you really need to hear what she's got to say!"

The dark tom staggered uneasily from his den, still felling sick to his stomach. Ravenflight must have spotted this, for her braced his shoulder against the larger cat's. Together, they made their way slow and stumbling to Sandpelt's den. The ginger she-cat was waiting for them.

Tigerheart lay in a nest of soft leaf buds and moss. His eyes were shut tightly. His mangled front leg was swathed in cobwebs, as well as the side of his face. Tigerstar turned his head away from him as he passed, focusing instead on the golden-brown she-cat lying on a nest of moss and feathers. The blood had been cleaned from her white front paws, and she didn't look as scared as she had when they'd brought her back to camp.

"Tigerstar," she mewed when the dark tabby lay on his belly before her, "Sandpelt says I'll be better by tomorrow. Do you think Arrowstripe and I can go out then?"

"We'll see in the morning," Tigerstar replied gently, touching her nose with his own. "Ravenflight told me that you had a very important story to tell, Whitepaw. Will you tell it to me?"

Whitepaw narrowed her eyes at being addressed like a sick kit, but she seemed to know Tigerstar was the boss of her. She blinked back at him, nodding. "Yes. But you have to promise that once I tell you, you won't let any other cat ask me to tell it for them." She shivered. "It's really scary..."

Knowing that Whitepaw was more kit-like than her other siblings, Tigerstar made the promise. Whitepaw nodded and began. What she told him was a tale that set Ravenflight's pelt on end, even though he'd heard it already.

**(Starshine is still chasing Ruthie, even though the chapter was quite long. Unlike other chases, the participants don't show signs of getting tired. Sasha, Tigerstar, and Ravenflight watch from the sidelines, eating from the near-empty tin of cat food)**

**Tigerstar: Hey Ruthie!**

**What?**

**Tigerstar: Running out of food here! (holds up the tin)**

**Well, hon, what do you want me to do about it?**

**Tigerstar: Run to the store and get us some more.**

**Why would I do that?**

**Tigerstar: Well, you _are_ already running, aren't you?**

**Sasha: Oh, and don't get the Seafood Medley, okay? That's pretty rank stuff.**

**Yes, Masters. (looks at Ravenflight as she runs past him) Anything _you_ need?**

**Ravenflight: Another bell-in-the-ball toy?**

**Kittypets.**

**Tigerstar, Sasha, and Ravenflight: What?!**

**Eating food from a tin and playing with plastic toys. You're turning into kittypets! At least Starshine is staying wild!**

**Tigerstar: Oh, sure. She's stalking a nice meal of demicat.**

**Well, it's better than what you three are doing! (All three just stare at her without expression) Oh, heck with it! (runs in the direction of the nearest outlet) Don't chew up the furniture while I'm out!**

**Tigerstar: What furniture?**

**(But Ruthie, still pursued by Starshine, it too far away to hear him)**

**Sasha: I like a man who can work a demicat.**

**Tigerstar: Keep looking, pretty lady. This is no man. This is one-hundred-per-cent tom!**

**Sasha: (rubs her head against his) And that's the way I like it.**

**Ravenflight: Get a den! (rolls his eyes) Ugh, this is pathetic! (turns to readers) Due to circumstances beyond our control, Ruthie is unavailable to do the end-of-chapter notes. Please remain in your seats as we try to fix this problem. (turns back) Hey, Tiggerstar! Off your lazy bum!!**

**Tigerstar: Says you!**

**Ravenflight: We're going to find Ruthie and Starshine.**

**Tigerstar: But...my Fancy Feast...**

**Sasha: Stop being such a kittypet and go with him!**

**Tigerstar: (defeated) Fine, fine...(sigh)**

**(Tigerstar and Ravenflight head out in the direction Ruthie and Starshine left in. Sasha watches, then turns to readers, grinning.)**

**Sasha: Ah, toms...So easy to get what you want out of them, isn't it?**


	9. Whitepaw's Story

**(No sooner have Tigerstar and Ravenflight set out when they return, Ruthie and Starshine behind them. The two toms look very disgruntled, the two she-cats look quite pleased. Sasha steps up to greet them.)**

**Sasha: Hey, did you get the stuff?**

**Nope. Got you this, though. (tosses a book onto the ground titled "The Warrior Code for Dummies")**

**Tigerstar: She got the three of us each a copy of it, too...**

**Ravenflight: It's humiliating!**

**Be that as it may, it's for your own good. Now, I think we should get back to the story, don't you? Since you guys are going to be busy reading, I decided to make this whole chapter a Whitepaw flashback. You four'd better get crackin' on that reading!**

**Tigerstar: Someone save us!!**

_Whitepaw's POV_

"I don't care if it's safe—it's not fair!" Shadepaw cried, shaking the brambles of the den walls furiously in his claws. Whitepaw huddled closer to Cloudpaw, both their eyes wide. When Shadepaw got into a mood like this, only Leafpaw could stand up to him.

"Shadepaw, Tigerstar has your best interests at heart," the tabby she-cat mewed carefully. "You think Joey and I didn't have plans for today? I'm just as disappointed as you are."

Shadepaw whirled around, his black pelt bristling—but there was no way he would even _dream_ of hurting his sister. He narrowed his green eyes sulkily. "But _Leafpaw_!" he protested. "I'll never get to be a real warrior if I never face up to danger! It shouldn't matter whether or not there's a stinking dog on the loose! Fighting it will only make me stronger!"

"So that's what this is all about, is it?" Leafpaw asked. "Being stronger? Tigerstar has told us this more times than he should have: There's more to being a warrior than strength. You need loyalty, trust, and compassion."

"We're going to be compassionate to the dog?" Cloudpaw lifted her head, a spark of mischief glittering in her amber eyes. Whitepaw flinched away, her ears flat with worry. Shadepaw prowled closer, and Cloudpaw dropped her head.

"Yes, Cloudpaw, that's _exactly_ what Tigerstar wants from us," Shadepaw snapped sarcastically. Before any of his sisters could open their mouths, he whipped around and stalked from the den. "I'm going to get some fresh-kill," he muttered. "If any cat tells me I can't, I'll just tell them I can't get out to hunt."

Whitepaw watched him leave in a huff before turning to Leafpaw. The golden tabby sighed and shook her head. "Shadepaw only wants to be the best he can be for FourClan," she murmured. "It's hard for him to accept anything less than that."

"What do you think about this confinement?" Whitepaw asked.

"I don't like it any more than he does. But it's for the best, and hopefully, Shadepaw will see that someday."

Whitepaw murmured softly and ducked her head into her chest. Confined to the camp until the dog problem was settled, she really had nothing better to do with herself. She curled into a ball for some sleep. Cloudpaw snuggled up beside her, joined shortly by Leafpaw. "He'll be back," the level-headed tabby whispered to her sisters. "Don't you worry."

Sure enough, Shadepaw returned with a small rabbit in his jaws. He dropped it on the floor before his littermates, and the four of them tucked in. Whitepaw kept her eyes on her only brother as she ate, watching his face for any anger. She found none. Shadepaw seemed to have accepted the fact that he wasn't going out today.

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The day, or what remained of it, passed slowly. The four apprentices were used to being up and about every day, training and hunting. Now that they had the whole day to themselves, they couldn't think of anything to do. Cloudpaw suggested listening to the elders, which they did for a while. Whitepaw couldn't deny the wistful twinges in her legs to run through the growing, green forest. She left halfway through the story to seek other forms of amusement. Her ears twitched as Frostfur rasped the words, "...and so Tigerstar raced across the Thunderpath surrounded by huge Twolegs."

"No, Frostfur, they weren't huge, they were normal-sized," Shadepelt corrected. Frostfur sniffed.

"Very well. Tigerstar raced across the Thunderpath, surrounded by _normal-sized Twolegs_. At any rate..."

Whitepaw rolled her eyes silently. That was what happened when more than one elder was awake to hear a story being told. They started correcting each other. Leafpaw mewed softly and left the den behind her sister. "Whitepaw, aren't you going to stay?" she asked.

"Nah...you go ahead, Leafpaw," Whitepaw replied. "I'm just gonna go...somewhere. I don't know where."

"Don't leave the camp. It's dangerous with the dog out, remember?"

"I won't. You go back. Enjoy your story." Whitepaw sighed as her sister's pawsteps faded away. Leafpaw obviously didn't feel the need to run free through the green. Arrowstripe appeared at the mouth of the warriors halfnest den, blinking and looking very disgruntled.

"I wish I could, Whitepaw," he meowed as the apprentice opened her mouth. "But Tigerstar's word is final. He and Ravenflight are working on it. We'll be able to train soon enough." Whitepaw slunk away, her tail low.

"You'd think there's a whole pack of dogs out there, the way Tigerstar is acting," she spat as she bellied down the tunnel to the den. "But it's just one! One dog can't be everywhere!" She unconsciously echoed her angry brother's words as she fumed to herself. "Why can't Tigerstar just go out there and drive it back to its Twolegs?"

She flopped down in her nest huffily and curled into a tight ball of misery. It wasn't _fair_! She wanted to go out! The idea of having the day off from training had excited her at first, but now she was realizing just how much of a part the daily exercises played in her life. Her body was ready to run ten laps around Thunderfall Gorge, but her mind was too bored to allow it. She groaned quietly and tried to sleep.

Not long afterwards, Whitepaw heard her littermates slide down the tunnel, chatting as they found their nests. She caught brief snatches of conversation.

"...tells a good story, doesn't she?" It was Leafpaw.

"I think...wouldn't have done that these days," Shadepaw muttered.

"...was pretty good, though," Cloudpaw mewed.

"Whitepaw's asleep," Leafpaw pointed out mildly.

"Can't blame her, that's the only thing left to do," Shadepaw grunted.

"It's barely even sundown," Cloudpaw murmured. She sighed softly. "Well, what else can we do?"

Whitepaw heard them settle down in their nests, feeling hot with anger. They seemed so accepting of their confinement! There had to be something that she could do! But her mind was too bored to think of anything else. She settled down to sleep, even though the den was still filled with sunlight.

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**I apologize. This chapter sucks so far, doesn't it? Even I think so. Well, bear with me, because I'm going to try and make it a little better. If it doesn't work out, know that the next chapter will be much better than this.**

"Hey! Wake up, you four!"

Whitepaw jerked her head up. The den was still dark, but the few timid birdsongs told her the sun was just starting to poke its head over the horizon. She saw the dim shapes of her littermates stirring as well, and turned her head towards the voice. Her tail started to bristle. Tigerheart's unmistakable white forepaw was inside the den, the dark tabby leg hidden by the dark dirt.

"What do you want, Tigerheart?" Leafpaw hissed. Shadepaw was crouching behind her, his green eyes fearfully reflecting the early light.

"Well, it's pretty early," Tigerheart replied, "and no cat's awake yet. I felt so sorry for you guys yesterday, having to stay in the camp. If there even is a dog, I don't think it's awake, so it's perfectly safe for us to leave the camp. Wouldn't you think so?"

"What do you _want_?" Leafpaw repeated, an edge in her voice.

"I was wondering if you would like to come out with me," Tigerheart meowed silkily. "We could do a quick run around the territory, maybe do some hunting. The Clan would never know. What do you say?"

Whitepaw's heart began to beat faster with excitement. She gazed around at the other three apprentices, tail curling up happily. Shadepaw was backing up from the warrior's white paw, shaking his head and mouthing soundlessly. Leafpaw glanced back at him and shook her head. "No, Tigerheart. Shadepaw and I aren't going."

"'M sleepy..." Cloudpaw mewed, rolling over away from the paw. Leafpaw turned to Whitepaw, but the tabby she-cat wasn't paying her any mind.

"A quick stretch won't hurt," she murmured to herself. "Besides, the dog probably _is_ still sleeping."

"Whitepaw, don't trust him," Shadepaw hissed. "Have you forgotten what he did to me? He might just do it to you! Don't trust him!"

"I learned my lesson, Shadepaw," Tigerheart soothed. "I'm sorry for what I did to you, truly I am. I'm tired of being cooped up in the camp, and I'm going to take a run around. Any cat who wants to join me can come."

"What about Ravenflight?" Leafpaw shot back, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. There was a pause.

Tigerheart sounded a little less confident than before as he meowed, "I already asked him. He says he doesn't want to come."

"Mousedung," growled Shadepaw. "You haven't even looked at him!"

"If you don't want to come, that's fine by me," Tigerheart meowed, pulling his paw from the tunnel. "But later today, when you're bored out of your pelts, you'll wish you'd come with me." His pawsteps started to fade. Shadepaw heaved a sigh of relief and returned to his nest.

"Thank StarClan he's gone," he breathed, shaking his black head. "Honestly, I'm glad none of us were as mousebrained as to go along with—"

Whitepaw heard no more as she scrabbled fiercely up the tunnel. Poking her head out, she saw that Tigerheart was still standing there. He blinked affectionately at her and flicked his tail. "Come on, Whitepaw," he whispered. "I'm glad _you_ had the sense to come with me. Let's hurry out and back before any cat misses us."

Whitepaw nodded, shaking the dirt of the tunnel from her paws as she padded up beside him. "So, where are we going to go, Tigerheart?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. Tigerheart chuckled.

"Just out," he told her. "Have a sniff around the territory. And maybe..." He paused dramatically. "Well, maybe we won't go _there_..."

"Go where?" Whitepaw was interested. "Where? Tell me, Tigerheart!"

"No, no, it's a warrior secret."

Whitepaw bounced up and down. "I'll be a warrior soon! Tell me, tell me!" She was bursting with curiosity. Tigerheart grinned, narrowing his eyes. He bent his head close to hers to whisper it in her ear.

"There's a special place in the territory where only warriors can go," he breathed; his breath was warm, making her shudder with delight. "It's a huge secret, and no apprentice can ever go there!"

"Why?" Whitepaw was like a kit, always ready to hear a secret and do the forbidden.

"Because it's _sooo _incredible, only a warrior can handle it. But you're still an apprentice, so we can't go there."

"Take me there! Take me there! Please, please, please!" Whitepaw pressed her front paws on Tigerheart's flank and started to lick behind his ears. "I won't tell any cat! I'll keep the secret, honest I will, Tigerheart! Please?"

"How can I say no after that?" Tigerheart purred. "All right, we'll go, but you can't tell any cat what you saw there."

"Not Arrowstripe?"

"Not him."

"Not Sandpelt?"

"Nope."

"Not even Shadepaw and Leafpaw and Cloudpaw?"

"Not even them."

It must be a good secret, Whitepaw decided. She bounded after Tigerheart and out of the camp, her eyes wide with excitement. She was going to a secret, warriors-only place, and her siblings would have to wait until they were warriors to see it! She didn't catch the malicious gleam in Tigerheart's green eyes, or that he kept glancing over his shoulder at the sleeping camp as if expecting to be followed.

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"I know where we're going, Tigerheart!" Whitepaw meowed proudly. Tigerheart looked down at her.

"Really?" he mewed with fake surprise. "Where are we going, Whitepaw?"

"To the old ThunderClan camp!" Tigerheart nodded. "But that's not warriors-only. Arrowstripe took me there once on patrol. Besides, it's not that special. I've seen better places. Why don't we go to one of them?"

"Because...because there's a secret hidden in the camp," Tigerheart told her. Whitepaw squealed. "I thought you'd like that. Yes, Arrowstripe took you there once, but he didn't show you the Secret. _That's _what's for warriors. The Secret!"

Whitepaw drank in every word, her paws buzzing eagerly. She was ready to run the rest of the way to the camp, but Tigerheart had told her they were to walk slowly and carefully, just in case the dog _was _awake. She was tired, but the suspense and the thought of the Secret kept her going. Tigerheart stopped her at the entrance to the camp. "Now remember what I told you, Whitepaw," he meowed.

"I'm not to breathe a word of the Secret to any cat," Whitepaw repeated. "I'm to wait in the center of the camp while you bring the Secret out to me, and no matter what I see, I'm to stay quiet. If I'm not quiet, you tell Tigerstar that I was out of camp against his orders." The punishment seemed a little harsh, but Tigerheart assured her that the Secret was well worth it.

"And if the Secret is too much for you?" Tigerheart prompted. Whitepaw searched her memory for the result.

"Then...I'm to stay still while you put it away." The dark brown tabby tom nodded.

"Remember the rules," he said over his shoulder. "I'm going to go get it now. Be good and wait."

The golden tabby queen quivered excitedly, her white paws kneading the ground as she sat. Tigerheart nodded and slipped into a corner of the camp. Against her better judgement, she pricked up her ears, hoping to hear the Secret. What could it be? A star from Silverpelt? A kit of one of the Great Cats? Something magical? _What is it? I hope Tigerheart hurries up. I want to see it!_

Whitepaw strained her ears, hoping to catch some sound of the Secret. She heard a snuffle, then a whining yawn. _It must be a Great Cat's kit!_ Tigerheart murmured something she couldn't understand, and the Secret responded with a whimper. Tigerheart spoke a little louder. "She's waiting for you. Go on, get her!" The Secret emitted a sound that made Whitepaw's blood run cold. It barked, the same bark that had frozen FourClan the previous afternoon. The Secret was a dog!!

The golden-striped she-cat felt her paws shudder in the urge to move, but her promise to Tigerheart rang in her ears. She stayed stock-still, ears pressed flat, fur bristling, eyes stretched wide. The dog seemed to split apart, multiplying before her terrified eyes into a whole pack of them! Tigerheart limped ahead of them—limping because he'd stepped on something on the way down. Whitepaw saw spots of red where he'd stepped.

"This is my Secret, Whitepaw," he sneered, tail curling up proudly. "You should be proud. You'll be the one giving them the taste for cat flesh." His eyes narrowed to sparkling emerald slits. "It would be in your best interest to stay still. If you run, they will only chase you, and your death will be that much slower."

He lifted a paw, stretching it out to point to the trembling apprentice. "Go on," he told the pack. "Get her."

The huge beast that appeared to lead the pack growled, pushing its muzzle close to Tigerheart's face. It snorted, glancing with dark eyes at the bleeding forepaw, then stuck out its long tongue to catch the next drop of blood. The dog snorted again and licked its chops. Its brow furrowed, it rumbled deep in its huge chest. The pack circled around Tigerheart, whuffing and panting. The tabby tom looked from dog to dog in fear. "Wh...what are you doing?" he stammered. "Get her! Her!"

"Pack, pack," the leader thundered. "Kill, kill."

"Pack! Pack! Kill! Kill!" the pack echoed.

Whitepaw felt her mind snap. She forgot all that Tigerheart had ordered her to do and let out a shrill screech. She whirled around and fled, darting towards the nearest halfnest as Tigerheart yowled and screamed behind her. She stumbled and fell, tearing the side of her face against a jagged rock on the ground, then found her paws and kept running. The pack barked and whined. She dove into a crack in the halfnest's wood body and crouched, shivering, in the gloom.

"No! No! Nooo!!" Tigerheart wailed.

"Pack! Pack!"

"Kill! Kill!!"

Whitepaw heard a sickening grating sound from the pack's circle and Tigerheart's shriek of pain. Her stomach churned nervously and she huddled her head between her paws. _Let it end...just let it be over...Let some cat notice I'm missing...Just let it all end..._

Slowly, the sounds of the pack faded, and their pawsteps pounded the ground as they left. Whitepaw stayed in the shelter of the wood, not daring to poke so much as a whisker from her hiding place. She thought she was going to be ill, but her stomach was empty, and she was in too cramped of a place to do anything. Whitepaw stayed in a small, quivery ball of fur, occasionally whispering Tigerheart's name. She didn't dare to look for him. She was trapped.

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"And that's when we came in," Tigerstar murmured thoughtfully. Whitepaw nodded her head.

"I didn't know if Tigerheart was still alive or if the dogs had eaten him," she squeaked. "So I waited. I know that Shadepaw or Leafpaw or Cloudpaw would have told someone he took me out, so I just waited for that to happen. Why didn't they tell you sooner?"

"They might have been to afraid of Tigerheart," Ravenflight murmured, glancing up at Tigerstar. The huge tabby tom nodded his head grimly.

"What's going to happen to him now?" Whitepaw asked, flicking her tail to Tigerheart's nest.

"Nothing for now. Once he's healed up, though, he will be punished." Tigerstar kept his words as gentle as he could when speaking to Whitepaw. "Punished" was hardly severe enough to describe what would happen to Tigerheart when he was fit to stand trial. He had his mind made up for what he would do to Tigerheart.

_FourClan is no place for a cat like him,_ he thought bitterly. _I tried everything I could to curb his ambition and give him outlets for his energy. With each try, he only did worse. And now this: Feeding a pack of dogs an apprentice so he could destroy the Clan._

Whitepaw was the sister of Shadepaw, this much he knew. And Shadepaw was closest to...Ravenflight! Tigerstar shot the black tomcat a swift, nervous look. _No,_ he realized with a twinge of horror, _not the Clan. Tigerheart only wants to destroy Ravenflight._

**Tigerstar: I finished, Ruthie! (holds up his "test" paper)**

**Hmm...(checks it over) Good, good...All right, pass. You get to do the next chapter. Although, I'll just say this much to you. The proper way to stalk a tame rabbit is not "tame way, unique up on it."**

**Tigerstar: Could've fooled me.**

**Ravenflight: Aw, and I got that one right!**

**Tigerstar: Too bad. She picked me to do the next chapter.**

**Sorry, Ravenflight.**

**Ravenflight: D: This is really not fair, you know.**

**Sasha: Oh, toughen up, will ya? I wanted to do the chapter, too, but you don't see me complaining. Are we doing good enough for you, Ruthie?**

**Yeah, I'll get off your backs now. Well, to the readers I say, "Wow, that chapter sucked pretty bad for the first half of it. It...yeah, I don't even have to tell you how sad I am it turned out that way."**


	10. Kitsitting

**I think it's time for a filler.**

**Tigerstar: But Ruthie, you promised you wouldn't have any of those in the sequel!**

**Actually, I think this will be more along the lines of a "pass the time so we can give TigerHEART the Total Son of a Badger a realistic amount of time to recover" chapter.**

**Sasha: Works for me. Although, I personally think you should just bump that furball off here and now.**

**You have no idea how much I want to do that, Sasha. But I can't. Why? Because...Well, I'm going to torture him a bit more. (turns to readers) Would you like that? A little TigerHEART bashing? You know how to talk to me. (pokes the "Submit Review" and "Send a Private Message" buttons)**

_Tigerstar's POV_

The condition of the brown tabby tom's stomach did not improve at all after hearing Whitepaw's account. On the contrary, he started to feel even sicker and dizzier. The ground seemed to lurch out from under Tigerstar's paws as he stood. He swayed slightly and managed a soft farewell to the cats around him. Still stumbling he staggered back to his den. A shiver ran through him.

_Exile_.

The word pounded through his veins in an unending chorus. _Exile. Exile. Exile. Exile._ Every beat sickened him. He wondered if it was possible to die from emotions. A smile flickered across his muzzle at the thought of Redtail's face when he confronted the massive tabby in StarClan. 'I'm sorry..._what_ killed you?' he would say. _Yes, Redtail, I died from anger, fear, and distrust._

"Tigerstar?" Honeypelt's voice made Tigerstar's tense shoulders and twisting belly relax instantly. "Tigerstar, say something."

"Come in," he murmured. Honeypelt slipped smoothly into the shadowy den, her bright blue eyes glinting in the low light. She curled close to him, purring in hushed tones and twining her body with his.

"Don't let Tigerheart get to you," she soothed. "Think about other things, like our kits. Sandpelt says they're coming along perfectly fine, and we should probably expect two or three. What do you think they'll look like? Like Hawkfrost and Mothwing?"

"Our first litter together." Tigerstar thought of the tom who looked so much like he himself did. Almost like Brambleclaw, but with his mother's eyes. "I wish they'd stayed with you. Then they could be together with us in FourClan."

"Their destinies lie outside this forest," Honeypelt mewed, though Tigerstar could hear in her voice that she shared his feelings. "But our next litter's will lie here with us, in our new home."

Tigerstar let Tigerheart slide from his mind and lost himself in the warmth of his mate's fur. He relaxed totally and let his mind drift over the kits in Honeypelt's belly. What _would _they look like? Would they be toms or she-cats? He sighed. "I'm starting to wonder if we should just get Tigerheart out of the picture now," he mumbled. "It would make everything so easier."

"You're the leader. It's your decision."

"But it wouldn't be right. We've got him and the dogs to worry about." The idea that there was more than just one dog out there still sent a jolt of ice through his veins. Honeypelt seemed to sense this and pressed closer to him. "I think he's been nurturing this pack for a while now."

"There's not much we can do," she mewed quietly, "until Tigerheart recovers enough to tell us what he knows about the pack."

"And from the look of him, we'll be in the shadow of these dogs for a while...maybe even forever."

Tigerstar sighed as his mind turned over the unsavory decision of Tigerheart's punishment. The young warrior would have trouble enough walking with only three paws, but _hunting?_ It was almost like a death sentence! But still, it was the only thing to fit his crimes. He had disregarded Clan law too many times in too many ways, and he would have to pay.

Honeypelt curled up, pressing her body even closer to that of Tigerstar. The dark tabby sighed and laid his head on his paws, feeling himself slide slowly into a dark, easy slumber. Things would look better in the morning. They always did. Tigerheart was thoroughly out of commission now, so there would be no tussles between him and the rest of FourClan. _Still,_ Tigerstar thought grimly with the last of his conscious energy, _Tigerheart would be much easier than the dogs to order around. I'd rather have him in my fur than them..._

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Whitepaw was cleared to return to apprentice duties the next day, which came as a huge relief to Tigerstar. Arrowstripe was overjoyed, and his enthusiasm was dimmed only slightly when Ravenflight warned him the apprentices were not to leave the camp—with or without their mentor. Sandpelt also pointed out that Tigerheart seemed to have gotten over the worst of his shock, and was sleeping peacefully.

It was sunhigh. Bright, warm, and golden, the sun's rays cascaded down through the tree's unfolding leaves to dapple the forest floor like a tortoiseshell pelt. The air was reliably warm now, and greenleaf couldn't be more than a few moons away. The river gurgled merrily along its course, no longer frothing and foaming dangerously. It would have been an ideal day for FourClan...if not for the threat of the dogs.

Tigerstar paced at the entrance to the FourClan camp, his tail twitching in agitation. He had taken Ravenflight out secretly at daybreak to check out the former ThunderClan camp. The dogs' scratched nests were empty, and their stench was growing stale. They had found a new den, it seemed, and the FourClan leader felt he could only sleep in peace if he could find it. He stopped pacing at the pawsteps of a small cat. He gazed down into the green eyes of Wetkit. The gray she-kit stared up at him.

"What'cha doin'?" she squeaked. Tigerstar bent down to lick her fluffy head.

"I'm watching the camp," he replied. Wetkit tumbled over from the strength of his tongue. She flumped down on her stubby tail and blinked up at him.

"Why?"

Tigerstar hesitated. What was he going to tell this sweet, innocent little scrap of fur? That there was a pack of bloodthirsty beasts outside the camp, creatures brought in by one of the warriors? He couldn't bring himself to either tell the truth or lie. Fishbelly saved him. "Wetkit, don't bother Tigerstar!" she scolded, coming up behind her daughter.

"I'm not botherin' him!" Wetkit protested as her mother picked her up by the scruff of her neck. "Put me down!"

"Fishbelly, I don't mind," Tigerstar meowed as Sparrowkit, Featherkit, and Songkit appeared behind their mother, their eyes bright and curious. His amber eyes gleamed approvingly. "She's a bold kit, and she'll make a fine warrior some day." Fishbelly purred and released Wetkit.

"Honestly, I'd like to take a quick run," she mewed. "If I take Joey with me, can I do that? I'll find some cat to watch these four pawfuls while I'm out." Her blue eyes were pleading. "Tigerstar, I haven't been able to go ten fox-lengths from the nursery ever since I kitted. Please? I will be careful."

Tigerstar hesitated. There were no other nursing queens to raise the four kits if their mother met the dogs, and they were hardly old enough to eat fresh-kill. But he knew what Fishbelly had said was true: She'd been tending her kits for the past few moons all day, every day, without any chance to stretch her legs. He relented. "All right," he meowed. "But take Arrowstripe with you as well. I'll watch these four." He swept his tail and drew the kits close.

Fishbelly's eyes glowed happily as she nuzzled Tigerstar's dark flank. "Thank you," she whispered. "I promise I'll be careful. Maybe I'll do a little hunting, too. The Clan needs all the fresh-kill it can get." Tigerstar nodded.

"Don't hunt too much, though," he warned. "I don't want you to be so burdened down with prey that you can't make a quick getaway." Fishbelly dipped her head in obedience and bent to touch each kit.

"Now you behave yourselves while I'm out. Do whatever Tigerstar tells you, and don't you even think about leaving the camp—Wetkit, that means you—and you too, Sparrowkit!" she added menacingly, as Wetkit's green gaze flickered in the direction of a breach in the camp wall and Sparrowkit lifted a paw as if to walk in its direction. "I'll be back before sundown." She looked up at Tigerstar. "Long before sundown." The huge tom nodded. "All right. I think that's everything." She padded off in the direction of the warriors den to gather the two burly tomcats.

Tigerstar looked down at the four kits at his paws. Honestly, he was more than happy to take on the little furballs. That way, he could get a good idea of their personalities and select the right cats to be their mentors. Wetkit struggled free of his tail just as Fishbelly left, flanked by the two toms who were her escorts. "What're we gonna do?" she asked.

"Let's see," Tigerstar murmured. "What _are_ we going to do? Mother's out of camp, and she won't be back for a while." He looked at each of the kits. "What do you think we should do?"

"I wanna go out and play hide-and-seek!" Wetkit squealed, bouncing from paw to paw excitedly. Tigerstar suppressed a _mrrow_ of laughter. Featherkit spoke next. Tigerstar marveled at how much she resembled her mother. She studied the massive tabby looming over her with a startlingly intelligent stare.

"Are the elders awake?" she asked. "We could always ask if they have a story for us."

"Who wants to sit in there all afternoon?" Sparrowkit asked in a tone of voice Tigerstar heard so many times in Joey's meow. "It smells yucky in there, and they can't agree on how the stories go!" Songkit nodded her head rapidly. "I say we go to the _warriors_ instead. I bet they've got more interesting stories."

"What about you, Songkit?" Tigerstar asked, blinking kindly at the tiny tortoiseshell. Songkit looked down at the ground, then over at her littermates. She opened and closed her mouth soundlessly a few times, then shrugged.

"Whatever anyone else wants to do," she whispered. "It all sounds like fun to me."

_She'll make an obedient little warrior,_ Tigerstar mused. His tailtip twitched. _Perhaps a little **too** obedient. Her mentor will have to teach her to stand up for herself. _His mind flicked instantly to Honeypelt, but he knew his mate would be in the nursery when this kit was apprenticed. _Shadepaw could do just that when he's a warrior. _"Well, I'm sorry, Wetkit, but we can't leave the camp." Wetkit yowled in disapproval loudly.

"Mother went out!" she protested.

"Your mother is a warrior," Tigerstar reminded her gently. "And I only let her leave if she had a few more warriors with her." _She's a bold one. Whoever he mentor is, they'll have to be tough and keep her out of danger. Maybe Leafpaw will be able to do that when she's a warrior._

"I still think the elders could keep us amused," Featherkit murmured cooly. Tigerstar nodded to himself. _She's got a cool head, despite what any other cat is doing around her. Starshine, definitely. They'll get along great._

"THE ELDERS ARE BORING!!" howled Sparrowkit at the tops of his lungs. Tigerstar flinched back from the noise. Sparrowkit needed a relaxed mentor, one with a paw both gentle and firm. _Nightfur will be looking forwards to getting his first apprentice. Perhaps he would be a good match for Sparrowkit._

"That's no way to talk about the elders," Tigerstar meowed, cutting into the argument that had broken out between the kits. "They've served their Clan long and hard, and they deserve the utmost respect."

"What does 'utmost' mean?" Wetkit asked.

"It means the most you can possibly give them," the dark brown tom replied calmly. "Now, we can either listen to the elders"—Sparrowkit made a face—"or the warriors." Sparrowkit leapt up in the air and bucked gleefully. "Which should it be?"

"Warriors!" he and Wetkit shouted. Songkit looked nervously at her brother before murmuring, "Warriors" in a very unexcited way. Tigerstar turned to Featherkit. The silver tabby she-kit shrugged.

"Whatever they want," she mewed. "If they say warriors, then I guess we'll listen to the warriors."

"No we won't!" Wetkit darted off in pursuit of a scrap of moss drifting across the camp, her fluffy tail held high. She was followed closely by Sparrowkit and Songkit. Featherkit watched them, whiskers twitching in amusement.

"If you'll excuse me," she mewed, then whipped around and bounded after her littermates, crying, "Wait for me!"

**Is it just me, or can anyone else here see Featherkit sitting up straight and looking very dignified and pushing a tiny pair of glasses up her nose? Because that's basically how I picture her. With little glasses. Weird, huh? But at the same time, pretty cute. Little kitten wearing pince-nez. XD**

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"I'm sorry I'm a little late getting back, Tigerstar. Did they behave themselves?"

Tigerstar swallowed a heavy sigh as his tail twinged mercilessly. He and Fishbelly were standing in the nursery, looking down at the four sleeping furballs that were Wetkit, Featherkit, Sparrowkit, and Songkit. Did they behave themselves? Great StarClan, no!

Wetkit had used the moss-ball as an excuse to slip through the break in the camp wall and out into the forest. Sparrowkit proceeded to challenge her to a "who can make the most noise" contest, where the loser had to yowl the winner's name while running around the outside of the camp five times. Tigerstar had managed to catch them; stuff them back into the camp; set them under the watchful eyes of Ravenflight, Starshine and Cloudpaw; and finally, chase after Sparrowkit, who was still paying the losing penalty.

Once the four troublemakers were safe inside, Sparrowkit had stumbled upon a new game: Tigerstar the Evil Dog. The rules were quite simple. Any cat named Tigerstar was an evil dog, and any cat whose name ended in 'kit' was a Clan warrior. That being said, the Clan warriors set out to attack the evil dog. It was a no-holds-barred, screeching, all-out assault on the Clan leader, which was only stopped when Ravenflight had entered the game. A new rule was invented: And cat named Ravenflight was Clan deputy, and his orders had to be obeyed immediately. Ravenflight had decreed the evil dog defeated, and ordered the brave warriors into their nests to recover from the vicious battle.

"Yes, they were wonderful," Tigerstar sighed. "It was a joy to play with them." _About as much joy as having a thrush peck you to death,_ he added silently. Fishbelly purred as she settled herself around her sleeping litter. When they were sleeping...they actually looked harmless. Tigerstar's whiskers rippled in an amused twitch and he turned to leave the nursery.

"I think you're bleeding," Ravenflight remarked, looking up from the mouse between his paws. His tail pointed to one of the dark tabby tom's ears. Tigerstar licked a paw and drew it over the ear in question. He studied his paw carefully.

"My fur's so dark, I wouldn't know the difference," he muttered, speaking about the paw. "Ravenflight, are all kits like those four?"

"At their age, they're seeing the world for the first time, Tigerstar. You can't blame them for wanting to prod, nibble, sniff, inspect, and yowl at everything they lay eyes on."

"They picked a bad time to open their eyes, then." Tigerstar grabbed a mouse of his own from the fresh-kill pile and flopped down beside his deputy. Ravenflight looked more closely at the ear. He frowned.

"Go see Sandpelt," he meowed. "You _are_ bleeding." Tigerstar took a huge bite from the mouse and gulped it down swiftly without bothering to chew to silence his rumbling belly. Ravenflight let out a soft _mrrow_. "Keep eating like that and she'll have to treat you for bellyache as well," he teased. Tigerstar growled angrily and licked his lips.

"Taking care of those little monsters is something I wouldn't even make _Tigerheart_ do," he mumbled. "I'm sure they're good kits at heart, but that doesn't stop them from being terrors."

"You only had to deal with them for the afternoon," Ravenflight reminded him evenly. "Fishbelly's got to keep tabs on them until they're apprenticed. That's another four or so moons. She's got it worse than you."

"But she's a _she-cat_," Tigerstar meowed, swallowing another bite of mouse; this time, though, he bothered to chew before swallowing. "They've got some kind of...superpower when it comes to annoying, violent kits."

"Hey, those are _my_ annoying, violent kits!" Joey joked as he padded from the warrior's den. Tigerstar pulled a face playfully at him. "Good to know FourClan has such a mature leader." The three toms' voices were rich and deep with amused _mrrow_s.

Tigerstar looked up at the sky, nodding a little at the first few pricks of light coming from Silverpelt. Ravenflight followed his gaze upwards, his amber eyes narrowing contentedly. Joey looked to Silverpelt as well, but his body posture said he couldn't see anything phenomenal in it. The sun was slowly sliding down between the moors and the faraway rocks of Highstones. Newleaf night settled over the forest, warm and heavy with the scents of the opening flowers.

The ginger tom rose to his paws, yawning. "We came across a dog marker," he meowed, sounding as if the thought had just occurred to him. "It was on the other side of the river in the direction of High Land. Sort of stale, though. I'd guess it was laid early yesterday morning."

"Thank you." Tigerstar dipped his head to dismiss Joey. The former rogue flicked his tail is agreement as he yawned widely again, then slunk into the halfnest den. Ravenflight rolled onto his side and leaned against Tigerstar's shoulder.

"Have they spoken to you recently?" he asked softly, his tone almost begging. Tigerstar shook his head sadly. The black tomcat sighed. "Well, that's all right. They're still watching over us...They don't like to tell us everything. They don't have to be direct to be there."

"You think they would at a time like this," Tigerstar murmured. Silverpelt seemed so distant as more of its warriors twinkled into view. "They're supposed to watch over us and protect us." His eyes turned to golden-brown slits. "Why aren't they speaking to us?"

Ravenflight was silent, and Tigerstar could smell his growing fear. He decided to change the subject and broke his gaze away from his warrior ancestors. "I don't think I've gotten around to telling you this, Ravenflight, but you're handling to rank of deputy quite well for a cat your age," he meowed. Ravenflight butted the tabby-striped shoulder affectionately.

"I did have a wonderful mentor," he purred. Tigerstar started to groom the sleek, black-furred flank beside him. Ravenflight imitated the gesture, and they sat outside the den, sharing tongues until the moon started to rise.

Tigerstar stood, feeling very relaxed and good-tempered. His aches from kit-sitting vanished and the warmth in Ravenflight's tawny eyes made him feel much better about the state of his Clan. But part of his heart was still heavy. His mind replayed Ravenflight's words. _They don't have to be direct to be there._

_They don't, _he admitted grudgingly. _But that doesn't change the fact that I wish they would._ He yawned and nodded good night to his dark deputy. The massive tabby tom started off in the direction of his rocky den beneath Greatshard. Inside the shadows, he curled up in his soft, mossy nest and fell asleep.

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Tigerstar sat up, his eyes widening in surprise. The clearing at Fourtrees was just as it had been before the Twolegs had torn it apart. He was sitting atop the Great Rock, looking down at the empty clearing. "It's been a while, eh, Tigerstar?" an amused voice meowed behind him.

"A little too long for my taste, Redtail," Tigerstar replied, turning around to face the much smaller tomcat. Redtail's amber eyes glinted cheekily. Tigerstar found he couldn't stay angry at him. "Why?"

"Why?" Redtail echoed curiously, hopping down from the Great Rock. He flicked his tail for Tigerstar to do the same. "We've been having a bit of difficulty ourselves. As you know, StarClan do not appear to cats who do not believe in them."

Tigerstar nodded. "But the whole of FourClan believes!" he protested, padding after Redtail. The tortoiseshell tom turned and shook his head.

"Not all of it," he mewed. "We lack the belief of one key cat." He sighed. "Sandpelt."

"Sandpelt believes in StarClan!"

"She used to. But ever since Tigerheart started giving you and Ravenflight trouble, she's been beginning to doubt us." He imitated the she-cat perfectly as he spoke his next words, causing Tigerstar to wonder if he was actually echoing her voice. " 'Why don't StarClan do something about that bully Tigerheart? If they really watch out for us, this wouldn't be happening!' 'If there really is a StarClan, why aren't they protecting us from the dogs?' 'Why didn't StarClan keep Whitepaw away from Tigerheart?' "

Tigerstar sighed. "Why didn't you come to me?" he asked. "You've sent me dreams before—you warned me about the dogs in the first place! I've believed in StarClan since I was a kit, Redtail. You can trust me with dreams."

"I know I can," Redtail meowed, "but that's not the way it works, and you know it, Tigerstar." He headed towards the ThunderClan border. "However, I felt the need to bend the rules tonight. Follow me."

Tigerstar didn't feel like pointing out that he'd been following Redtail through the whole dream. He remembered the tom's ThunderClan deputy days. Redtail was a mellow, mild cat, but once he was angry enough, he became a fearsome warrior. Instead, he followed without comment. He heard a soft _mrrow_. "I said follow, but I never said you had to be silent."

"Where are you taking me?"

"I thought you would have figured it out by now."

"I have a good idea."

"Tell me, then."

Tigerstar glanced from side to side. "We're going to the ThunderClan camp," he replied.

"Good!" Redtail affirmed cheerfully. "Yes, but not the camp from this forest. We're going to the camp from the forest you reside in." He slipped down a narrow trail, weaving his lean body in between the branches of bushes and outcroppings of rocks. Tigerstar, with his broad shoulders and tall frame, was hard-pressed to keep up. The forest suddenly became dark and forbidding. Shadows hissed at him, gnashing dark fangs and flexing unseen claws.

"Redtail!" Tigerstar called nervously, his ears flattening in fear. "Redtail, where are you?" The former ThunderClan deputy had vanished from sight and hearing. Tigerstar broken into a flat-out run, pelt bristling as he raced through the strange forest.

A loud yelp rent the air, and unfamiliar shapes leapt over his head. The air was filled with the shouts of his Clanmates as they fought fiercely. Tigerstar forgot Redtail and ran solely for the sake of the cats in his care. He skidded to a halt, heart hammering against his ribs, lungs bursting as they struggled for breath. Redtail sat calmly before him. "Well run," he commented. Tigerstar spat, stiffening his shoulders. "Oh, calm down. Now come this way, but quietly."

Tigerstar clamped his fangs down on a seemingly endless flow of curses, insults, and sharp words. _I'm getting what I wanted, _he reminded himself as he sneaked along the dark ground. _I asked for a dream from StarClan, and that's what I got._ He slipped into the camp behind Redtail, ears pricked.

"Now," whispered the small cat, "I can tell you this much, Tigerstar. The pack has found a new place to sleep, high in WindClan's old moorlands. The pack leader is very keen on living the quiet life up in the hills, for he remembers what happened to the last pack leader when they were near cats."

"Then why did he accept Tigerheart's food?" Tigerstar hissed.

"Would you eat a fresh-kill some cat gave you if you were hungry?" Tigerstar nodded. "Exactly. The pack was starving when Tigerheart found them."

"So we don't have to worry about them? You said it yourself, the pack's leader doesn't want to deal with cats."

"He doesn't. But the rest of the pack got a good taste of cat blood this go-round. Specifically Tigerheart's blood." Redtail's amber eyes glinted in the low light. "As long as Tigerheart is kept inside FourClan's camp, every cat is in danger."

"As much as I hate him, I can't leave him out now." Tigerstar felt a low rumble of anger fill his deep chest. "But rest assured, once he's recovered, he's on his own."

"That may be too late," Redtail murmured grimly, his tailtip twitching like an adder's head. "The pack is restless. Most of the dogs want to finish the job they started. The leader is holding them off, but he can't do it forever."

"WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?" the dark tabby yowled angrily. The whole situation seemed hopeless. Redtail whipped around, his eyes wide.

"I told you to be quiet!" Tigerstar stiffened, feeling his legs lock in terror. He couldn't move. Something hot and humid tickled the back of his neck. He turned his head slowly. One of the dogs crouched over him, drooling and breathing heavily. The rank stench of it filled his nostrils, flooding him with fear. The huge beast let out a thunderous bark that made the ground shake.

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Tigerstar jolted awake, his heart pounding. Fear-scent filled his den and by the look of his nest he'd spent the night thrashing around. He sighed. A dream. The dog wasn't there behind him. "A dream," he panted, shivering from the tip of his nose to his long, striped tail. Hearing the words spoken aloud soothed him. The huge tom squeezed from his den and found himself nose to nose with Ravenflight.

"You heard it too, then," the black tom meowed. Tigerstar tilted his head to the side. "The dog...you heard it barking, didn't you? That's why you're awake at this StarClan-forsaken hour of the morning?"

Tigerstar's gut froze solid with all the cold fear of leaf-bare. He pushed past Ravenflight and pelted out of the camp, fur rising on his shoulders. His ears shot up stiffly and he licked his nose to sharpen his sense of smell. He skidded to a halt outside the camp, staring wide-eyed in the direction of the old WindClan territory. Long, hooked talons shot from their sheathes and dug into the newleaf-soft earth below him.

_Dogs!_

**Dang! Not only do you get a semi-filler, but you get a cliffhanger to boot! (laughs her head off)**

**Tigerstar: Are you going to kill Tigerheart _now_?**

**Maybe, hon. Maybe. XD I'll never tell you. But don't worry. He'll get what's coming to him in the end. And not just in the form of exile. No...he gets it a little more. :D But you wouldn't know about that just yet.**

**Sasha: Ruthie! Stop teasing the readers!**

**Oh, fine. By the way, you know whose reviews I'm really, really missing? Spottedstar's. Those always made my day. If anyone knows Spottedstar, can you ask them to say something? I miss the Hyperactive Leader of WindClan who speaks in CAPS LOCK. :'(**


	11. Journey into Twolegplace

"Dogs! Dogs!"

Tigerstar raced through the camp, poking his head in every den and yowling the same words over and over again to rouse his sleeping Clan. Warriors jerked up their heads, hackles rising fearfully. Sandpelt started to drag Tigerheart into her den. All the apprentices except Shadepaw cowered in their nests.

The small black tom stood boldly beside Ravenflight, his tail stretched out stiffly behind him. Tigerstar looked into those brilliant green eyes and saw a sort of courage he hoped was present in his own. He nodded respectfully. Shadepaw returned the nod.

The warriors of FourClan stood in a sweeping rank behind their leader, claws unsheathed, fangs bared, muscles tensed under sleek pelts. The dogs drew nearer, until Tigerstar swore he could see the saliva dripping from their open mouths. "Steady," he hissed. "Hold position...on my signal..." The dark tom flung his tail straight up like a banner. "Now!" he yowled, and the cats set off in a strong line towards the approaching dogs.

The sky was a sort of dull, soft gray with predawn light. A fine fog filled the air, rising up from the moist soil to hang like low clouds. Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. The dogs were coming, undaunted by the sweeping tide of cats. He clashed against the pack leader and dug his claws into the beast's shaggy pelt. The dog howled and started to jerk its head from side to side. _It's either trying to shake me off or get in position to bite,_ Tigerstar thought. Around him he could hear the yowls of FourClan cats as they latched onto dogs as well.

"Pack, pack!" he heard the dogs bark. "Kill, kill!"

"FourClan, attack!" he shouted, trying to drown them out. "Keep them from reaching the camp, no matter what!"

The pack leader twisted its head around and sunk its fangs deep into Tigerstar's haunches. The massive tom hissed in pain and slashed out at its muzzle. Scarlet drops of blood fell from its clawed nose, and the dog released the furious tabby cat. "Not so tough, are you?" Tigerstar asked it, flashing his claws at its face, aiming for its eyes. The dog snapped at his paw—missing, but barely.

Ravenflight let out a sharp squeal. Tigerstar turned to see a dog with its slavering jaws around one of his hind legs. Just as he was about to step in, Shadepaw leapt out and caught the huge animal across the forehead. The dog yelped and released Ravenflight, running away with its tail between its legs. Tigerstar was at his deputy's side in a flash. "Ravenflight!"

"I'm...okay," the black cat panted, blood flowing freely from his chewed leg. "Keep fighting..."

Tigerstar looked around. Arrowstripe and Nightfur bounded forwards as one and swiped out at a dog. The huge beast fled yipping and whimpering. The two dark toms had time for a brief cry of triumph before wheeling around to help Starshine. Joey was on his own, nipping the throat of a smaller dog. His green eyes were wide with terror, and Tigerstar could smell his fear strongly, but he fought as bravely as his Clanmates.

The pack obviously hadn't been expecting such a fierce onslaught. Most of the dogs had fled, leaving only the leader and two more. Tigerstar flicked his tail for his warriors to regroup and form a line once more. The two sides stood, panting and bleeding, and stared each other down. "You don't belong here," Tigerstar growled angrily. His hindquarters stung and he was out of breath. Beside him, Ravenflight was supported by Joey and Nightfur. Shadepaw's pelt was on end. "Get out."

The pack leader lowered its head and growled in Tigerstar's face. Its reddened nostrils twitched. It was drawing in the scent of FourClan, a scent it no doubt recognized from Tigerheart. Tigerstar held his ground. "Get out," he repeated. "We don't have him with us." He gazed deep into the dog's dark eyes and held up a clawed paw. "I will do it."

The dog swished its tail, and the remainder of the pack fell in behind it. Its eyes narrowed and it turned and left, taking the other two dogs with it. Tigerstar heaved a sigh of relief. "They're gone," he murmured.

"For now, at least," Arrowstripe meowed beside him. "Not to sound disrespectful, Tigerstar, but we're far from through with those dogs. Even a kit could see that." Tigerstar sighed again and turned back towards the camp.

"I know, Arrowstripe," he rasped, glancing over at the dark tom. "But at the very least, we've shown them that we're not defenseless, and that if they attack, we _will _strike back at them." He shook his head as his amber eyes found the limping Ravenflight. "I just hope they haven't developed a taste for more of our Clan."

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Tigerstar gasped sharply, then let out his breath in a soft, slow whisper of relief. "You're lucky its fangs didn't go in too deep," Sandpelt mewed beside him, indicating his bitten haunches. "The bites are shallow enough. You should probably stay off your paws for a day or so to let them heal over."

"I'm Clan leader," Tigerstar retorted. "I have to be up and moving to make sure FourClan is safe and healthy." He stuck out his tongue playfully at the medicine cat, who responded with a light slap of her paw.

"A day," she repeated, a little more menacingly. Her pale eyes shifted to Ravenflight. "And as for you, I'd say even longer. I don't know what that dog's teeth did to the bone of your leg, Ravenflight."

"Hey, if it means sleeping and eating all day," Ravenflight purred. His whiskers gave an amused twitch.

"Shade..." Tigerstar shook his head. "No, not heart. Foot? Fang? Claw?"

"Talking to yourself again, Tigerstar?" Ravenflight teased, the tip of his tail whisking across Tigerstar's muzzle. The dark warrior blinked, shifting his attention to his deputy. "What have I always told you about that? It makes me worry about you."

"If you want a bad name for your apprentice," Tigerstar began, raising his eyebrows. Ravenflight shut his mouth quickly. "I didn't think so. Shadepaw proved himself loyal and worthy of becoming a warrior in that battle."

"What about his sisters?" Sandpelt asked from her den. Tigerstar heard her scuffling through piles of herbs. "Did you stop to think about them?"

"I have. And I'll admit, it would be unfair to make him a warrior before them, even though they did stay behind."

"Well, you didn't order them to fight," Joey pointed out. "You told me that I should tell my apprentice to obey orders from warriors and take as few stupid risks as possible."

"Besides, Tigerstar," Ravenflight put in, "they haven't trained anywhere close to long enough to be made warriors. Not to say that I don't want Shadepaw to be a warrior, it's just that...I don't think any of the apprentices are ready for it."

Tigerstar nodded. "All right," he meowed. "But that won't stop me from thinking up warrior names for the lot of them."

"What's Leafpaw's going to be?" Joey asked excitedly. Ravenflight purred.

"Mouse-brain," he muttered. "He can't tell any cat that until the time comes." Joey looked disappointed.

_So we'll just have to wait,_ Tigerstar thought. _Mousedung. I was looking forwards to making an apprentice into a warrior, too._ Sandpelt dropped a small pile of herbs at his paws. Obediently, the tabby bowed his huge head and ate them. He curled up into a tired ball and watched the sleeping form of Tigerheart through narrowed eyes.

The dark warrior's chewed leg had healed, leaving him with a stub about half as long as the other legs. His ripped ear had been reduced to a few shreds. He was stable, according to Sandpelt, and should wake up soon. Tigerstar felt dark hatred spread through his body. He knew that once exiled, Tigerheart's chances of survival were slim, probably zero. _Unless he decides to make himself a kittypet, he'll starve. A cat can't hunt one-pawed. Not even a daredevil apprentice can manage that._

Tigerstar glanced over to Ravenflight and saw the black tom glaring at Tigerheart with equal hatred. Tigerheart had ignored the deputy's orders and battered his apprentice. _Ravenflight won't forgive Tigerheart for what he's done. Frankly, I'll be glad when this piece of foxdung leaves FourClan._

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"He woke up not long ago and managed to eat some fresh-kill," Sandpelt reported, flicking her head to Tigerheart's sleeping body. "I would have woken you, but you were sleeping so deeply, and I don't think he would've been much use to you."

Tigerstar sighed. His eyes were blazing into the closed lids of Tigerheart, desperately seeking some sign that the tabby warrior was merely feigning sleep. He could see none. "Anything he would have had to say would have been useful to me," he grunted. "But you're right. Well, if he woke up once, he won't sleep forever. Thank you, Sandpelt." He turned and padded from the small den.

"What's the word?" Ravenflight asked, greeting his former mentor at the edge of camp.

"He's back to sleeping again," Tigerstar grumbled, his tail doing an agitated dance at the tip. "We had a close scrape with those dogs yesterday, Ravenflight. When are we going to drive them off for good?"

"Whenever you can kill the pack leader," Ravenflight meowed, resting his tailtip on Tigerstar's broad, muscular shoulders briefly. "Remember, that's how Firestar made them run."

_Like I'd want to anything the way that self-righteous kittypet did, _Tigerstar thought venomously. His whisker swept to the side in an expression of uncertainty. _But that's the only workable plan I've heard so far. How would we kill the pack leader? _His eyes narrowed. _StarClan, help me!_

"The only problem is that Firestar drowned the former leader in the gorge...which is high and dry nowadays," Ravenflight continued, giving his paw a lick and swiping it over his ear a few times.

"And the pack would want to avoid the river after that," Tigerstar added thoughtfully. Ravenflight nodded.

"What we need is something bold...something daring...something no creature would ever expect," he murmured. Tigerstar looked hard at him.

"Twolegs?"

"That's all three, but how could we do it?"

"You're difficult. But yes, I agree, it's practically impossible to pull off." The dark tabby curled his tail tightly over his paws in thought. "If only we could find someplace dangerous to lure them...the Thunderpath?"

"They wouldn't go anywhere near that place, no matter how much prey you dangled in front of their ugly noses."

"Let's hear your plan, Ravenflight, I've given you all of mine."

Ravenflight glanced at Tigerstar with a look that bordered annoyance and amusement. "Well, we could always try giving them Tigerheart," he mewed. Tigerstar let out a low growl.

"I refuse to stoop to his level and feed the pack cats," he spat. Ravenflight shrugged lightheartedly. "Besides, what would that accomplish? They'd eat him, and then what? How would that get rid of the dogs?"

"It would get rid of _Tigerheart_..." The black warrior let out a wistful purr.

"Ravenflight, if you aren't going to be serious, I'm sure the elders would love you to clean out their den," Tigerstar threatened. Ravenflight shook his head rapidly. "Good. I'm being very serious. StarClan gave me guardianship of this Clan, and I need a real plan to protect it from the pack."

The amused glimmer in Ravenflight's amber eyes died down a little bit. He nodded and sat up a little straighter. "I'm sorry, Tigerstar," he mewed. "I know this is serious—I'm just trying to keep you from getting too stressed out." He winked. "Now, as for a 'real' plan, I say we ask around. Some cat's bound to know more about these dogs than us."

"Are you saying...?"

"Yes. Tigerstar, let's pay Firestar's old friend a visit."

"I was afraid you were going to say that."

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The pointed ends of the fence boards poked Tigerstar uncomfortably, but he stayed sitting, merely shifting his bulk a little to nestle between the points. Beside him, Ravenflight's stomach growled softly, and the black tom shot him a sheepish look. "Are you sure this is the right nest?" the huge tabby hissed. Ravenflight nodded rapidly.

"I've met these kittypets before," he replied. "When I was here visiting Bluestar's grave. Now, the black and white tom's name is Smudge, and the brown tabby she-cat is Pepsi. You're big and more scarred than I am, so wait until I've spoken to them first."

Tigerstar nodded and hopped from the fence into the garden. There, he scuffled under a flowery bush. The awful, overly-sweet smell of the bright flowers made the air heavy to breathe, and soon his head was spinning. He heard a creak, a clatter, and the sound of pawsteps. _Which kittypet is it?_ he wondered.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he heard Ravenflight whisper gently. "I know I look scary to you, Pepsi, but just hear me out."

"Y...you know my name?" The voice of a nervous she-cat reached his ears.

"Yes. I also know you friend Smudge, and his friend Fi...Rusty." Ravenflight paused. "You do know Rusty, don't you?"

"Yes...He used to live here."

"Is Smudge here?"

"He...He's usually out by now. He might be spending some time in his gravelbox, though, so it might be a while. What's your name?"

"My name is Ravenflight, and I'm here with my friend, Tigerstar."

"Where...?"

"Tigerstar...?"

Tigerstar picked up his cue and struggled free of the tangled bush branches. He spotted Ravenflight a few foxlengths away, standing beside a pretty brown she-cat. He dipped his head and slipped smoothly over to the two of them. Pepsi staggered back, her eyes wide in terror. Tigerstar reflected on just how scary he must look, with his burly shoulders, scarred nose, and torn ear. He crouched down beside Ravenflight. "I am Tigerstar," he meowed cooly.

Pepsi looked from tom to tom, her mouth hanging open. Then—"Ravenpaw!" someone mewed joyfully. "Ravenpaw! You're here! Oh, wow, I never thought I'd see you again! Is Fireheart with you?"

"Fireheart is Firestar now," Ravenflight told the black and white kittypet streaking towards him. "I'm called Ravenflight, and this is Tigerstar."

"Any relation to Tigerclaw?" Smudge asked innocently.

"I was Tigerclaw," Tigerstar replied. He saw fear dance in Smudge's dark eyes. "Oh, don't worry. I've learned my lesson. Long story. Not the time for it, though. Listen, Smudge, do you remember Firestar saying anything to you about a pack of dogs?"

"No," Smudge murmured, "but I've heard talk from some of the other housecats that there's another cat out there he told about them. Like...Queen or something like that...Anyway, she lives a while away from here. I've never been to her nest before."

Tigerstar hissed under his breath, but Ravenflight was patient and persistent. "Is her name perhaps Princess?" he asked. Smudge's eyes lit up.

"Yeah! Yeah—Princess, that's what it was."

"I bet I can find where she lives," Tigerstar breathed into his friend's ear. Ravenflight nodded his silky head. "Well," he meowed aloud, "thanks for your help."

"Wait!" Pepsi called as they turned to leave. Tigerstar looked over his shoulder. She faltered, looking embarrassed. "I was wondering if...maybe I could...see where you live sometime," she mewed haltingly. Tigerstar studied her carefully. She wasn't plump like Smudge, but rather, lean and willowy. Against his better judgement, he nodded, and her eyes lit up happily.

"But not yet," he warned as he followed Ravenflight toward the fence. "The forest is full of danger these days. I'll send some cat to find you when it's safer."

"I thought the very idea of kittypets in Clans made your skin crawl," Ravenflight teased as they ran through the forest. Tigerstar rolled his eyes and used ducking around a fallen branch as an excuse to not answer immediately.

"Who says I'd let her stay?" he countered. "She'd never be a warrior, Ravenflight."

He tried to recall Firestar's and Cloudtail's scents as he ran, which was difficult when other smells kept distracting him. He knew the two tomcats were related to Princess: Firestar being her brother and Cloudtail, her son. The dark tabby warrior leapt over a rock in front of him, stumbling in his landing. He staggered into a clump of bracken and thrashed in the tangled branches.

"Tigerstar!"

"I'm fine. I'm fine," Tigerstar muttered and he made his way out of the tangle. Ravenflight stood over him, his eyes wide with excitement. Tigerstar pushed himself up and tasted the air. His mouth curved up in a feline grin. "Do you smell that? It's like Firestar's scent."

"If Firestar were a she-cat," Ravenflight joked. His tailtip twitched. "All right. We found her." He glanced over his shoulder at the huge dark tabby. "If Starshine finds out I was near Twolegplace, she'd have my tail."

"You think Starshine is anything to worry about?" Tigerstar stared at him. "Starshine's a kit compared to Honeypelt. Now, if _she_ found out where I'd been, she'd have more than just my tail. She'd have my whole pelt to line her nest in the nursery!"

The pair of them purred together, each imagining the reaction of the other's mate if the she-cats ever discovered what the leader and deputy had done with their evening. Tigerstar adopted a serious expression first, standing stiffly to his paws. "Come on, Ravenflight," he ordered. "This Princess won't find herself."

"Perhaps I should do this one by myself," Ravenflight mewed. "After all, she is _Firestar's_ sister. He could have told her everything about who you were, emphasis on _were_. And on that same note, she may very well know who _I_ am, so she's more likely to trust me."

Tigerstar hated to admit it, but he knew Ravenflight was right. He nodded grudgingly and padded up to the fence. "All right, then. I'll stay on this side of the fence. Let me know how it goes." Ravenflight dipped his head and leapt up and soon vanished over the edge of the pointed wood.

The dark tabby tom waited, a little nervously, for his deputy's return. He couldn't help noticing just how quiet the forest was. He shuddered. This late into newleaf, there should be birdsongs ringing through the air, only stopping when the sun went down. He pricked up his ears to catch the sounds of the few bold creatures he knew were still around. Instead, he heard Ravenflight's faraway voice meow, "...tell you anything about that?"

"Yes," came the soft mew of a she-cat. "He did, and so did my son. Why? What's wrong?"

"They're back."

"Back?"

"Yes, and we need your help. Did he tell you anything about how he planned to get rid of them?"

"Well..."

Tigerstar pricked his ears up even harder.

"...No, I'm sorry, Ravenflight."

"That's...okay, Princess. Just stay in your garden for the time being. We'll find a way to sort them out."

A few moments later, Ravenflight dropped down beside Tigerstar, looking incredibly disappointed. He sighed and said, "She doesn't know anything of use to us."

"Like you said, Ravenflight: We'll find a way to sort them out."

Ravenflight smiled slightly and started to give himself a thorough wash. "We'd better hunt while we're out," he told Tigerstar between licks. "Give us an excuse for being out for so long."

"I'm the leader and you're Clan deputy," Tigerstar retorted. "We don't need excuses. There's no cats for us to answer to." He let out a soft _mrrow_. "So, how was your visit with Princess?"

Ravenflight spat. "She's completely witless! She's more naive than most kits on their first adventure out of the nursery!"

**My sentiments exactly, Ravenflight.**

Tigerstar couldn't help a purr. "Well, let's wrap this up, get to hunting, and hurry back to camp before any cat starts to wonder what's become of us, eh?" Ravenflight nodded, swiping his tongue across his flank briskly. The two tomcats set out in search of prey, mouths open, ears pricked.

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"Where were you?" Honeypelt asked fiercely. Tigerstar, his jaws clamped firmly around a rabbit and a small thrush, could not answer her immediately. She continued venting her rage. "You've been gone so long! I didn't know what to think! Had the dogs eaten you? Were you lying in the middle of the forest with your paws chewed off?"

Tigerstar dropped his fresh-kill. "Ravenflight and I went hunting," he explained calmly. Honeypelt's ice-blue eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Hunting near Twolegplace?" she hissed.

The dark tabby cursed himself. His paws still carried the heavy scent of the Twolegs' territory. Beside him, Ravenflight was quailing under the angry stare of Starshine. "I thought the prey might have fled there," Tigerstar meowed. "The Twolegs don't hunt forest prey, Honeypelt."

Honeypelt sighed. "I wasn't just worried about you," she whispered. "I was worried about our kits. How could they grow up without a father for them to idolize? And FourClan! If something happened to both leader and deputy, we would fall apart!"

_And the fact that Sandpelt doesn't believe in StarClan doesn't help that,_ Tigerstar thought. He pressed his muzzle into Honeypelt's tawny flank, murmuring apologetically, "I'm sorry...I thought what I was doing was for the good of FourClan."

"Just be careful and think next time, you stupid furball," Honeypelt mewed, returning the gesture. Tigerstar let out a happy sigh and gazed at her flanks. Her belly was round now, and within the next couple of weeks, she would be forced to make a nest in the nursery. He nuzzled the unborn kits affectionately and looked deep into his mate's eyes. "They'll be beautiful," she breathed. He nodded.

"Just like their mother."

Honeypelt purred and rubbed her head against Tigerstar's. Her warm breath tickled his ear. "I can hardly wait." He shivered with delight and laid a gentle paw on her shoulder. Ravenflight coughed to let his leader know he was there and watching.

"Ravenflight, take the prey over to the pile and toss anything that's going on crowfood out of the camp," he ordered calmly. Ravenflight's whiskers twitched, but he said nothing more as he obeyed Tigerstar's orders. Tigerstar turned his attention back to Honeypelt.

"I've decided," he told her. "If you take to the nursery before Cloudpaw finishes training, I'll take over her training."

"Are you sure you can handle her?"

"I've handled worse."

"All right." Honeypelt broke away, mischief glittering in her pale eyes. "If you think you can keep your wits around that crazy white fireball, who am I to say otherwise? You are, after all, Clan leader." She turned around, flicking her tail across his nose, and padded away. Tigerstar watched her leave, feeling warm. Suddenly, it didn't seem to matter that there was a pack of wild, bloodthirsty dogs outside his camp and a treacherous three-pawed warrior inside of it. He was going to be a father.

_Life really is quite wonderful,_ he though as he slipped into his den on feather-light paws. _There are some setbacks, but on the whole, it's really a magnificent thing._


	12. The Storm Breaks

**S...Spotted...Spottedstar...OMFG!!!! (glomps her long-lost reviewer in total bliss) YOU'RE BACK!! YOU'RE BACK!! That makes meh a very happy Ruthie.**

**Tigerstar: (sighs and shakes his head)**

**What? You should know that when Ruthie is happy, the story and such get better. :) Thanks to whoever brought the Hyperactive Leader of WindClan back. Ruthie loves you, liek whoa...XD**

Tigerstar awoke to a camp bathed in warm morning sunlight. A fine scattering of dew covered the patches of grass and vegetation around the FourClan camp. He stepped smoothly out of his den and into the gentle light. His whiskers gave an approving twitch. Yes..._this_ was how newleaf was supposed to feel. The dark tom glanced from side to side. Everything appeared to be in order. Dogs hadn't ravaged the camp while he slept. The air smelled fresh and clean and feline.

"Tigerstar!" Sandpelt's breathless mew broke the silence. Tigerstar jolted and snapped his head in her direction. The pale she-cat looked a little startled by the sudden movement, but quickly got over it. "Tigerstar, Tigerheart's starting to wake up!"

Tigerstar bolted in the direction of the medicine cat's den, his ear pressed flat to the sides of his head. Tigerheart had finally recovered enough to rouse himself. Given a day or so, he'd be fit to stand trial. The dark tabby tom burst into the small sheltered spot, panting hard. He caught a quick flicker of movement as Tigerheart dropped his head back onto his paws. "You're not fooling me, traitor," he snarled. "Face me like a warrior or cower like a kittypet, it's your choice."

Tigerheart sighed and lifted his head. "Listen, Tigerstar, this is a huge misunderstanding," he began, but Tigerstar silenced him with a wave of his tail. Tigerheart dropped his chin onto his chest and spoke no more.

"I'm not going to tell you just how idiotic your actions were," Tigerstar meowed sternly, sounding very much like a mentor upbraiding his apprentice. "Your missing paw"—he flicked his tail to the stump—"will testify to that." Tigerheart's head dropped even lower. "But I will tell you this. I'd sooner become a kittypet than let you continue to live in this Clan."

The dark warrior's head jerked up suddenly. "But—but I can't live like this!" he protested, flailing the stump of his leg. Tigerstar's eyes were chips of amber stone, cold and unfeeling. "You wouldn't send me to my death! That's not like you, Tigerstar!"

"You didn't seem to think anything of sending Whitepaw to her death," he growled coldly. Tigerheart managed a weak _mrrow_.

"Oh...that. Like I said, Tigerstar, it's just a misunderstanding. I would never do anything to endanger Whitepaw! Why don't I tell you what _really _happened?"

"Whitepaw's already seen to that," the voice of Ravenflight hissed from behind Tigerstar. The black tom stalked forward and pushed his muzzle up against Tigerheart's. Amber eyes narrowed while green eyes stretched wide. "But just for purrs, let's hear what you've got to say for yourself, Tigerheart." He lay down in front of the three-pawed tomcat, his forepaws tucked under his white-dashed chest.

"You see, from what I understood, Whitepaw was tired of being confined," Tigerheart replied evenly. Tigerstar caught a whiff of fear-scent rising from his flanks and knew the level tone was only an act. "I woke up early just in time to see her head out of the camp. I snuck out and followed her."

"Did you tell her she wasn't allowed to leave the camp?" Tigerstar asked. Tigerheart shook his head.

"Why not?" Ravenflight pressed, the fur on his shoulders starting to rise. Tigerheart's mouth worked soundlessly before he answered.

"I didn't want to scare her. I figured that she was jumpy, and if I had startled her, she would have done something stupid and gotten herself into even _more _trouble." He faltered.

Tigerstar curled his tail over his paws. "Continue," was all he said. Tigerheart glanced to the side nervously before he did.

"Well, I followed her for ages...I don't think she knew where she was going, really. She kept wandering and poking her nose in all different places every couple of steps. Anyways, after a while, I realized she was heading for the old ThunderClan camp." He gulped. "I was nervous, naturally, because...well, I've scented dog near there a few times."

"Why didn't you tell Ravenflight? Why didn't you tell _me_?"

"I didn't think you'd believe me," Tigerheart replied easily. "Whitepaw kept poking around and pouncing on shadows...I watched. Really, I was too scared to do anything else. I followed her, yes, but I couldn't work up the nerve to confront her and take her back to camp. She...she disappeared into one of the corners of the clearing, and a little while later, I heard a dog barking."

"What did you do then?" Tigerstar was careful to keep the hatred, suspicion, and anger out of his voice. Tigerheart flashed him a grateful look over Ravenflight's dark head. _If you think I believe you for one heartbeat, you've got another thing coming to you, Tigerheart._

"She ran out with the pack chasing her, and I felt like something just snapped inside me. I ran out and crouched over her. 'Whitepaw!' I yowled. "Quick! Hide! I'll hold them off!' She didn't say anything—probably too scared to—but she got herself out of there and hid in a halfnest. The pack attacked me...that's all I remember."

"Interesting," Tigerstar murmured thoughtfully. Ravenflight's ears pricked and he turned to the huge tom curiously. "Tell me something, Tigerheart. Shadepaw and the rest of the apprentices seem to recall you standing outside their den the morning this happened and telling them to come out and hunt with you. What do you have to say to that?"

The sour smell of fear coming from Tigerheart's body increased tenfold. Tigerstar felt a glimmer of triumph deep inside. _Trapped like a rat!_ "I...They...That is to say...Well, Shadepaw certainly doesn't like me," he blustered at last. "It's all too likely he invented that story and fed it to Cloudpaw and Leafpaw to get me in trouble. I would never hurt Whitepaw or any cat!"

Ravenflight tackled the dark tabby tom and bared his fangs threateningly. "Are you calling my apprentice a liar?" he growled. Tigerheart returned the scowl.

"Perhaps I am," he meowed sharply. Ravenflight backed down, looking as though Tigerheart had just snapped his fangs at his ear. His claws slid out and gripped the ground at his feet firmly. Tigerstar could see just how great a struggle it was for him to keep his temper. After seemingly hours of standing at the brink of outburst, the black tom drew himself up stiffly and strode jerkily from Sandpelt's den.

"I hope you're enjoying your stay with the medicine cat," Tigerstar meowed turning to follow his deputy, "because it's the last time you'll be in her den. Glad to see you've recovered, Tigerheart, and I mean that sincerely." He looked at the brown tabby over his shoulder. "You'll need every scrap of strength to survive without a Clan." He left, closing his ears to Tigerheart's stunned babbling.

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"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Greatshard for a Clan meeting!" Tigerstar called, then sat down to watch the cats answer his summons.

Fishbelly's silver paw shot out of the nursery entrance and snagged the tails of Wetkit and Sparrowkit as the two eager young cats tried to join the meeting. The pair were dragged back into the clump of bushes yowling and complaining. Honeypelt jerked her head up from her paws and yawned as she got up. She padded to the center of the clearing to touch noses with Starshine. Her swollen belly protruded from both sides as she sat down heavily. Whitepaw and Cloudpaw, mewing rapidly in conversation, came forwards and sat down beside the two she-cats.

Ravenflight appeared from the warriors den, deep in conversation with Nightfur. The black warrior looked concerned, and Ravenflight appeared to be soothing him; his tail was draped comfortingly over the other cat's shoulders and his eyes were warm. Shadepaw followed his mentor at a few rabbitlengths' distance. His green eyes were shining with anticipation, and Leafpaw beside him mirrored the look.

Tigerstar's amber gaze centered on the shapes appearing from Sandpelt's corner of the camp. Joey and Arrowstripe flanked a stumbling Tigerheart, whose eyes were wide with fear. The cats of FourClan let out muffled hisses and parted to let the three burly tomcats pass through their group. Tigerheart sat down with an awkward thump in front of Greatshard and looked around. There were no friendly faces in the crowd of cats.

"Tigerheart, you stand accused of many things," Tigerstar began cooly. Tigerheart's mouth opened, but the huge tom silenced him with a downward flick of his tail. "Among them being disobedience, harm to an apprentice warrior, and above all"—he felt a surge of hot hatred towards Tigerheart, and had to fight to keep his claws sheathed—"intent to destroy FourClan."

FourClan drew its collective breath, and Tigerstar wondered if he'd been a bit too harsh with his words, too grave in his tone of voice. _No, _he told himself firmly, _that is what Tigerheart has done. That is how it must be said._

Dimly, he remember standing in Tigerheart's position, wounded and guilty, the cats who and once admired and respected him glaring venom at him. He recalled his feelings of fear, anger, pain, as he watched Fireheart destroy everything he'd worked so hard to put together. He would never be leader of ThunderClan. He would never have cats obey him as warriors obeying a deputy. He had been ruined.

Though he hated to admit it, Tigerstar sympathized with the dark tabby seated awkwardly below him.

"Don't you think that's a bit too much, Tigerstar?" Tigerheart asked. He tried to stand, but only succeeded in toppling onto his face when he tried to balance on a paw that was no longer there. A few _mrrow_s of sarcasm and amusement tingled through the air. Arrowstripe gripped Tigerheart roughly by the scruff and set him back on his paws. "I—pht—" he paused to spit out a bit of leaf "—I mean, 'intent to destroy FourClan'? That's a bit heavy."

Tigerstar's fierce gaze pinned him to the ground and silenced him. "I say what is true," Tigerstar meowed. "Yes, intent to destroy FourClan. And if not FourClan, then at the very least, its deputy." This statement set off another chorus of angry, shocked yowls. Tigerstar felt a glimmer of warmth. It seemed only Tigerheart had a problem with the young black tomcat. He flicked his tail once more for silence. "Yes...you never did like Ravenflight, did you, Tigerheart?"

Tigerheart bowed his dark head. He did not reply. Tigerstar turned his attention to the other cats of his Clan. "You have all no doubt heard of Tigerheart's intended use for Whitepaw," he continued. "For in giving the dogs Whitepaw, they would begin to crave blood like hers. They would seek out her littermates: Leafpaw, Cloudpaw, and especially, Shadepaw." His body flashed cold and hot in rapid cycles with the pounding of his heart. "Tigerheart knew that once the dog pack turned their attention to Shadepaw, one very important cat in his plan would step forwards to protect the apprentice." Tigerstar looked down at his deputy. "And that cat was Ravenflight."

Ravenflight's mouth opened and closed silently. His tail was bristled out and lashing back and forth like a confused adder. He hadn't guessed all that. An eerie silence hung over the Clan camp; no one said a word. Then slowly, slowly, every pair of eyes turned and focused on Tigerheart. The three-legged warrior jerked his head up and let out a loud _mrrow_. "This is a joke right?" he mewed. "A...a _joke_! Tigerstar, please, I know you caught me red-pawed with the dogs, but...that's way too well-thought out for me! You give me too much credit!"

"Tigerheart," Nightfur cut in bitterly, rising to his paws in one swift motion, "you can't fool Tigerstar and you can't fool me. I've known you since we were kits, and you haven't changed a bit." He looked up at Tigerstar. "May I say something?" Tigerstar nodded and beckoned the dark warrior to stand atop the Greatshard. Nightfur obeyed, his eyes set like chips of cold crystal.

"I remember when we were young," he continued, "and the games we used to play. Tigerheart was a brilliant young tomcat, and his games were always the best. But now that it's come to this, I can see it all. One of his games was just as complicated as _this _'game.' I remember it involved using stones and acorns on a carefully drawn playing field. The stones were toms; the acorns, queens. If two stones looked alike or were the same size, or if two acorns were the same color, they were littermates. We built whole Clans up, then built their territories, their hunting grounds, and so on.

"Then, when we were finished, we would put ourselves in the game. We played the part that StarClan does, sending down hardships, blessings. I'll never forget what happened one day. One of my acorn-queens had just had four acorn-kits. Tigerheart told me that time passed quickly, and now my acorn-kits were acorn-warriors. He sent a sickness down to kill them one by one, telling me that his 'sickness' would sweep through their family until it reached the one crucial cat. My acorn-deputy." He turned to Tigerheart. "Is that what Ravenflight is to you?" he asked. "An acorn on a stretch of ground?"

Cats looked at each other in bewilderment. They didn't appear to know whether to start howling in rage or purring in entertainment. Tigerstar had to admit, it was a strange concept. But it proved a vital point: Tigerheart was perfectly capable of forming such a careful plan. The brown tabby stared up at Nightfur, his emerald eyes wide. "You..." he squeaked. "I...I thought you were...my friend. Thought...I could trust you..."

"I was your friend," Nightfur growled coldly, his tail lashing. "But I'm a loyal warrior of FourClan now, Tigerheart, and when you turn against them, you turn against me." He nodded to Tigerstar and hopped back down. Honeypelt drew her tailtip across his flank, murmuring soothingly.

"I did _not _give you too much credit, it seems," Tigerstar mused aloud. "Nightfur has testified that you are an intelligent cat, and that you're mentally able to think up such a plot. Do you have anything else to say in your defense?"

"M...my defense?" Tigerheart stuttered anxiously. "Tigerstar, I'm a good cat, really I am. This is nothing but a misunderstanding. I-I...I would never dream of doing such a thing as trying to destroy FourClan—or its deputy!" He gazed pleadingly up at the massive tom perched on the rocky spur above him. "Tigerstar..."

"If you have nothing further to say," Tigerstar began, but Tigerheart cut him off sharply.

"Will no cat speak in my defense?" he demanded, twisting his head around to glare at his Clanmates. "Well? Or have you been blinded by Tigerstar's double-speaking and Nightfur's pointless testimony?" He leapt up in a frantic burst of energy. "Have you forgotten that _I_ am just as much your Clanmate as any other cat?!"

The hefty paw of silence pressed down on every cat's head. Furious fire blazed in every eye focused on the pawless tom. Tigerheart thrashed his body around until he was crouching on his belly. He was breathing hard, and his green eyes glimmered icily as they centered on Ravenflight. "You!" he screeched venomously. "_You!_ You had better watch your pretty little neck, Ravenflight. Be very careful with it. It's so slender and graceful...it'd be a pity to have it _snap!_" Froth spun from his lips as he spoke.

"Tigerheart, if you've nothing better to do than waste our time with meaningless threats, then be silent," Tigerstar hissed passionlessly. "I sentence you to exile. Joey and Arrowstripe will escort you out of FourClan territory. If you return, if we catch even the faintest sniff of you in our lands, if you set foot near my Clan again...I myself will kill you."

The words came from his mouth like a death-knell, echoing around the camp. Cats glanced at each other. _Exile?_ their eyes seemed to be saying. _Without one of his forepaws? He's doomed! He'll never survive! Is that really fair?_

_Yes,_ Tigerstar told them in his thoughts. _In fact, it's probably too kind._

Joey looked to Arrowstripe and nodded. Tigerheart sank the claws of his remaining front paw into the ground stubbornly. The two toms shrugged and took his shoulders in their mouths. Tigerstar watched them leave, feeling a pang of triumph. Tigerheart was gone...He would never have to mediate between the ambitious warrior and Ravenflight again. He could stop worrying about keeping him away from the apprentices. "Wait!" shrieked Tigerheart, struggling violently. "Wait! The dogs! The dogs! They'll kill me! They've drunk my blood—they'll want the rest of me! They'll kill me!"

"That is not my concern," Tigerstar replied, lifting his chin defiantly. "Perhaps your exile will give you time to reflect upon what you've done, and how you've gone wrong. You could have been a great warrior, Tigerheart, perhaps even deputy in your own right." His hot rage was replaced with a sort of bitter feeling as he realized just what kind of potential Tigerheart had had. "But you threw it all away. You plotted revenge and you threw the entire Clan in danger. As for the dogs, maybe it's fitting what they do to you."

Tigerheart let out a shrill wail as Joey and Arrowstripe dragged him out of the camp. His eyes focused on Tigerstar. "IT'S NOT OVER!" he shrilled. Ravenflight jumped down and trotted after them, pausing briefly to murmur something into Arrowstripe's dark ear. The warrior nodded. Tigerheart was going...going...gone.

**.-.  
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It had been sunset when Tigerheart's exile had taken place, and what a sunset it had been. The sky in the west had been tinged with bright scarlet, flaming orange, gleaming gold, merging slowly into green and blue, and finally to the dark depths of royal purple night. The sun had been a flash of fiery red, the burning mane of LionClan's leader as he prowled through the sky above. Silverpelt had been faintly visible above the FourClan camp.

It was night when Joey and Arrowstripe returned from dragging Tigerheart, thrashing and squalling, from the Clan camp. The two tired warriors were greeted warmly by their Clanmates, and reported that Tigerheart had been left in a cave beneath the Thunderpath along with a plump pigeon. Tigerstar thanked them for the job well done and sent them to Sandpelt to treat their numerous scratches and bitemarks.

"It's over," Ravenflight murmured quietly as a cool night breeze stirred his sleek pelt. Tigerstar, seated beside him, nodded. The two toms were sitting guard at the camp entrance, a precaution that had been in place ever since the dogs' existence had been uncovered.

"I can't help wondering if we'll ever see him again," the dark brown tabby mewed, giving his chest a few quick licks. Ravenflight made a soft noise of disbelief in the back of his throat. "Oh? What's that?"

"Tigerheart's bold, but he's not stupid. He knows what'll happen if he comes too close to us, Tigerstar. No, he's out of the picture."

"You sound so confident."

"I am. He can hate my guts all he wants, but he won't do anything that will put him on a path to you." He gave a bitter purr. "You could say that he can't touch any cat as long as they're with you. You're what's keeping FourClan safe."

Tigerstar was honored, though he couldn't help wondering if his deputy was being sarcastic. He hunched his shoulders up and eased his haunches back in a cramped sort of stretch. He yawned. "Moonhigh," he meowed, flicking his tail up. "And the moon is full. The Clans should be gathering here now."

"We are the Clans," Ravenflight whispered, his amber eyes flicking towards Tigerstar and back to the silver forest that stretched out of sight. "You said it yourself: We're called FourClan because some day, there will be four Clans once more, and they will spring from us."

Gleaming, silver light drenched the silent forest, dappling it gray and black and transforming it into a alien landscape. The river burbled quietly in the background as it dashed along its course. Tigerstar settled down on his side, and Ravenflight curled up beside him. He shook his head slowly. "Things will be so different," he mused, more to himself than to Ravenflight. "The Clans' lands have been altered beyond recognition...and StarClan knows how we'll be able to hold Gatherings if this is Fourtrees." He sighed. "But we'll find a way. We've survived these woods so far."

"That's the spirit," Ravenflight mewed drowsily. He laid his head on Tigerstar's flank. "Myaww...I'm sorry, Tigerstar...I can't keep my eyes open..."

"I won't keep you up." Tigerstar twitched his shoulder, pushing Ravenflight's head away. "You head back to your den, Ravenflight. The dogs are probably sleeping off their fight with us, and Tigerheart isn't getting back here any time soon."

Ravenflight looked as though he would have liked to protest; indeed, his mouth was open and he looked ready to speak. However, he merely yawned and mumbled his thanks before stumbling sleepily back to the halfnest. Tigerstar turned his attention back to the dark forest, amber eyes narrowed.

_Tigerheart is out of my fur, thank StarClan,_ he thought. _There's still the matter of the dogs and how we'll get rid of them, but I have a feeling the right way will just come to me. _He laid his huge head on his paws, whiskers twitching as they brushed the leaf litter on the ground. _Maybe StarClan will show me the way..._

He tried hard not to, he really did try. But the night was so warm; the crickets, so peaceful. The dark tabby's eyes slid shut and he dropped into a light, easy sleep. Somewhere out in the forest, a badger shuffled through the thickets in its nightly search for food. An owl hooted. For the first time in moons, the forest was at peace.

**.-.  
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Tigerstar slept on, wakening at dawn feeling well-rested and a little foolish. As he stretched the sleep from his muscles, the giant tabby couldn't help wondering if things were on his side at last. With Tigerheart out of the way, he could focus all his attention on how to get rid of the dogs. He turned his head towards his den, and something rustled softly off to the side and behind him. The dark tabby turned, his stare freezing Wetkit and Sparrowkit in their tracks. The two kits shivered and started back into the nursery.

"Where do you think you're going?" Tigerstar rumbled in mock anger. He started prowling toward them, tail flipping from side to side as though he were hunting his prey. "Back to your warm nests before your mother wakes up?"

"You don't scare us!" Wetkit mewled boldly. Sparrowkit shrank back from his sister, his ears flat to the sides of his head.

"He scares me," he mumbled, glancing from side to side. Wetkit gave an aggravated snort and lashed her tail across her littermate's shoulders, scowling at him. It took all of Tigerstar's self-control not to burst out in loud purring. He reached the pair and swiped them close to his chest with his massive paws.

"Oh?" he mewed. "Not afraid of me, are you, Wetkit?" Wetkit shook her head. She didn't even _smell_ afraid! Great StarClan! Tigerstar gave her a rough lick on the head. "Good. I'll have you know I'm nothing to be afraid of, as long as you're good little kits."

Sparrowkit seemed to relax. He batted Tigerstar's scarred muzzle. "Hah! You thought I was scared, Tigerstar?" He let out a false _mrrow_. "I really had you going!"

Tigerstar scooped the two of them up by their scruffs and toted them back into the nursery. Fishbelly was snoring peacefully in her nest. The bright eyes of Featherkit and Songkit flashed up at Tigerstar's entrance. Featherkit centered on her littermates, a look of smug satisfaction stealing across her face. "I told you you'd get caught," she scolded. "But you didn't listen to me, did you? No—you two just _had_ to have it your way."

"Shut up, Featherbrain," Sparrowkit growled, wrinkling his nose at her. "Hey, maybe that'll be your warrior name: Featherbrain. It fits you, honestly."

"That's enough of that, Sparrowkit," Tigerstar muttered, setting his two charges down in their nests. Songkit nestled closer to her idol, Sparrowkit, her eyes glowing with admiration. "You four had better behave yourselves today."

"Tigerstar, why was our father out so late last night?" Wetkit asked, her head tipped to the side curiously. "And why haven't we seen Tigerheart around? Is he all right? I know he got hurt a while ago, but didn't he get better? I thought I heard him around the camp last evening."

Tigerstar's breath got stuck in his throat. Once again, Wetkit had managed to ask him the most awkward of questions. He licked his lips thoughtfully. "Well, Wetkit," he meowed softly, even though Fishbelly looked as though she would sleep through a Twoleg invasion, "Tigerheart was...not a very nice cat. He didn't play well with the other warriors, and he...well, he did some bad things."

"But where is he?" Wetkit pressed. Tigerstar hesitated again.

"He...He couldn't listen to what other cats told him to do, and he wasn't a very good cat, so..." He paused. "He's being punished now."

"Will he ever come back?" Sparrowkit asked, leaping to his feet. "He used to tell me that when I was older, he would make me into the best warrior in the whole Clan—just like him!" His happy face beamed up at the dark tabby tom.

_I wouldn't apprentice you to him if he was the only cat in FourClan who wasn't already a mentor! _"I don't think so, Sparrowkit," he replied at length. Sparrowkit's face fell. "Tigerheart did some very bad things, and I don't think the Clan can accept him after what he did. Don't worry, though. I've done some thinking, and I've found a cat who can be an even better mentor to you than Tigerheart ever would have been."

"Tell me!" Sparrowkit started prancing around Tigerstar's paws, weaving his tail around the dark stripes. "Please? I'll keep it a secret, I swear! Tell me!"

"He can't," Featherkit murmured, curling herself back into her mossy nest. "He can't tell you or me or even our mother who our mentors will be." She settled her head onto her paws and glared at Sparrowkit out of one eye. "So stop trying."

The little brown tabby tom pulled a face at his sister. "Nyah! Stop being such a bossy furball, Featherbrain," he sneered. "Tigerstar is _Clan leader_"—he pronounced the phrase sharply—"He can do whatever he wants to, even tell me who my mentor will be!"

"You won't have to worry about that for another few moons to come," Tigerstar told him evenly. "You have to be six moons old to be an apprentice warrior, and you're not even halfway there. None of you are." He glanced down at Wetkit, who muttered something angrily under her breath.

"W..." Songkit ducked her head into her chest as every cat turned to look at her. "Will...you t...tell us...when we're...old...enough?" she whispered. Tigerstar licked her head gently.

"Yes. You'll have a big ceremony and everything, too." Wetkit and Sparrowkit squealed happily and danced around each other. "But you have to wait." The giddy frolic slowed, but did not stop._ At least they're enthusiastic, _Tigerstar thought.

"Ah...Tigerstar." Joey's voice at the entrance distracted him. Tigerstar turned to face the ginger tabby. Joey gave his chest a quick lick. "Er...hang out in the nursery often?"

"You have very amusing children, Joey," Tigerstar meowed as the four kits gathered around his feet to look at their father. Joey gave him a funny look. "But I feel as though I'm stepping over the parental boundary here, so I'll just be on my way." He padded away from the nursery, but Joey called him back.

"Fishbelly wants to know if we can apprentice them a bit sooner," he murmured. "You can't deny how eager they are..."

"Ask the elders about the story of Brokenstar when you get the chance." Tigerstar turned back towards the warriors den. Ravenflight, Nightfur, and Starshine wouldn't be doing anything. He should take them out...maybe Shadepaw and Cloudpaw, too (Cloudpaw should get used to Tigerstar's style of mentoring if Honeypelt would be in the nursery). They could sweep the territory and check for signs of dog. "StarClan decreed that a kit is ready to face the challenges of apprenticeship when they have reached six moons of age. Brokenstar disregarded this, and his Clan suffered for it."

"Bu—ip." Joey made a soft noise that sounded like he'd started to speak, then swallowed his words quickly. Finally, he mewed meekly, "Very well, Tigerstar..." and rustled through the branches of the bushes that surrounded the nursery. Tigerstar sighed. He hadn't meant to be so cold to one of his warriors. _But Joey knows what I'm dealing with right now,_ he assured himself. _He can understand that I'm a little tense. What leader wouldn't be after discovering a promising warrior had plotted to destroy their deputy?_

The answer chilled him. Of course, any leader that cared two mice about their Clan would be distraught to find such a thing out. However, memories of his days as ThunderClan deputy haunted his mind. He knew that at one point in his life, he had done just what Tigerheart had. And that disturbed him deeply.

_But I'm different,_ he told himself firmly, _I'm definitely not like Tigerheart! I hope he gets hit by a monster. I hope he starves. I hope he dies and leaves my Clan in peace!_

Then he realized that he'd been standing at the mouth of the warriors den for so long that his scent had drifted in on a newleaf breeze and warriors were staring intently at him. Their expressions were all ones of dreamy confusion. Tigerstar felt embarrassment prickle his pelt and muttered for the three warriors he'd thought of before. The cats obeyed, still looking bemused, and after gathering the two apprentices, the impromptu patrol headed out of camp.

As they ran through the forest, Ravenflight caught Tigerstar's eyes and whispered, "Something bothering you?"

"Yes," Tigerstar breathed. Ravenflight opened his mouth, but the huge tabby tom shook his head. The black deputy caught on and shut his mouth. Tigerstar leapt over a fallen branch in his path and shot ahead, letting the whistling wind in his ears drive all thought from his mind.

But he couldn't drown out one thought. Perhaps it was because it was not his own. No, the words rang clearly through his mind in Redtail's voice. _Just as fire cannot consume fire, tiger cannot defeat tiger._

**Tigerstar: Is that a prophecy, Ruthie?**

**Maybe...**

**Ravenflight: Unfortunately, like all the other ones you've done, it's a little too obvious. (sighs) Why did you even put it in there?**

**Because I can.**

**Starshine: That's not a complete sentence.**

**Thank you, Mrs. Hemphill in Feline Form. By the way (pokes Starshine's stomach) like you, Ruthie's English teacher is also pregnant. :D**

**Ravenflight: She is!?**

**Yes.**

**Ravenflight and Starshine: (leap in the air and yowl)**

**But not in this one. No, it's gonna be a while before you find out about it. ;) Ruthie likes to be sneaky...in her sneakers (hunches shoulders)...with the candlestick...and Miss Mustard...in the Library...Oh, yes...(wrings her paws together and laughs maniacally)**

**Sasha: Ruthie, what are you talking about?**

**(straightens up quickly and looks sane) You know what? I don't really know. Okay...that's chapter 12. You can get back to your lives outside of reading my fanfiction now...Please tell me you have those...They really are good to have, you know. Even I have one...Actually, I have quite a few. But you don't know about those...**

**Tigerstar: Ruthie...**

**Right! Sorry. Anyways, that's that. Like I said...you can get back to your life.**


	13. Tigerheart's Tricky Trap

**Uh-oh, guys...another thirteenth chapter...You know what that means?**

**Starshine: (without hesitating) XIII?**

**...Well, it _could _mean that you're freakishly proficient in Roman Numerals, Starshine, yes, but, I'm thinking more in the "traditional" (makes the quotation marks with her paws) sense of the word. Tigerstar?**

**Tigerstar: ALL YOU CROWFOOD-EATING TRISKAIDEKAPHOBICS CAN KISS OUR TAILS—EVEN RUTHIE'S, WHICH SHE APPARENTLY HAS. WE ARE NOT DOING A FILLER FOR CHAPTER THIRTEEN!!!**

**Thank you.**

**Tigerstar: (in a soft, raspy voice) No problem.**

**You okay?**

**Tigerstar: I think my voicebox split in half, actually.**

**Ooh...Sorry, hon, but we have to keep going.**

**Tigerstar: Understudy!**

**No.**

**Tigerstar: (in his normal voice) You suck!**

**Was that so hard?**

**Tigerstar: $!&**

**Sasha: (clamps paws over her belly) Tigerstar! The children are listening!**

**Tigerstar: Oops...**

**I'll say.**

**Tigerstar: (turns to glare at her) You stay out of this.**

**Whatev. Anyways, Tiggerstar, we gotta get the next chapter up, Number 13 or not.**

"All right, Cloudpaw, tell me what you can smell," Tigerstar meowed, pausing at a small rise made by Twoleg monster paws. The fluffy white apprentice lifted her head obediently and sniffed the air. Her nose squinched up in disgust and she licked her lips.

"Dog," she mewed. Tigerstar opened his mouth to draw the air across his scent glands. True, he could smell the heavy stench of dog everywhere, even though there was no sign of them hunting or even having walked across the ground.

They were standing at High Land. A week had passed since the morning patrol with the other cats. Redtail's mysterious words still haunted Tigerstar, and he was getting worried. Surely Sandpelt would have come to him if she had received similar words from StarClan. Yet, the young medicine cat was as quiet as ever, merely spending her time stocking up on certain herbs. Tigerstar wondered just how many were for kitting and how many were for treating wounds.

The dark tabby slid slowly into a stretch, letting the soft, warm sand trickle between his long claws. Cloudpaw looked from side to side and sighed. "What's wrong?" Tigerstar asked her gently. "Miss Honeypelt?" For the tawny queen had set up a nest in the nursery a few days ago and handed Cloudpaw's training over to Tigerstar. The white she-cat nodded. "Well, don't worry. I'm sure she misses you just as much as you do her."

Cloudpaw nodded silently again and started to play with the fine-grained sands, heaping it up into little mounds with her paws. "But she never took me here before," she murmured. "I don't know why, but she doesn't seem to like this place at all."

_It's where Speckletail was killed,_ Tigerstar thought. _Of course Honeypelt wouldn't want to come within a foxlength of this place. _But he didn't tell Cloudpaw this. Speckletail was dead now, resting under the soil within his sights. The ground at High Land had been the softest, and the easiest for digging graves in. The pale tabby's bones couldn't be far away. "It holds bad memories for her," was all he told Cloudpaw aloud. The fluffy apprentice nodded.

"I have places like that," she whispered. "Places I don't ever want to go to again. Like the one Thunderpath back in the city..."

"What happened there?"

"It's where Crow...he..." Cloudpaw shook her head rapidly. "No...No, I..." She threw back her head and gave a loud wail. "Look out, Crow!!" Tigerstar licked behind her ears furiously, trying to silence her mournful cry. He hadn't the faintest idea who this 'Crow' character was, but he could tell that Cloudpaw had had some kind of relationship with him.

"Well, you don't live in the city now, Cloudpaw," he soothed gently. "And you never have to go near that place ever again. In fact, if it makes you feel any better, Clan law forbids you to go back there. Clan cats don't go near Twolegplaces." He couldn't help a flicker of guilt as he thought of his and Ravenflight's excursion there to find out more about the dog pack from Firestar's friends.

Cloudpaw nodded, settling her head onto her paws with a sigh of resignation. "I mean," she mewed quietly; Tigerstar had to strain his ears to listen, "Mother did tell him...She tried to warn him...I-it doesn't bother me so much as...She didn't even..." She trailed off miserably. "I want to go home, Tigerstar. Can we go back?"

"Sure." Tigerstar got up and twined his tail with hers. "Remember, Cloudpaw, whatever happened in the city is over now. You'll never have to go back there again. We've been out for long enough, too. Let's stop by Four...Fourstumps and pick up the fresh-kill we left there. You're a very good hunter. Did Honeypelt ever tell you that?"

"Yes." Cloudpaw nodded her fuzzy head.

The two cats made their way to the clearing. Tigerstar scooped up a rabbit and sparrow, while Cloudpaw grabbed two mice. They pushed their way back into the camp. Tigerstar dismissed the young apprentice with a flick of his tail and started in the direction of Sandpelt's den. The medicine cat looked up as he entered the small thicket. "Oh, Tigerstar," she mewed breathlessly. "I expect you'll want to hear about Honeypelt? She's not quite ready to kit yet. I could induce labor now, but her kits wouldn't survive."

"No, no, let them come on their own time," Tigerstar assured her. The pale she-cat scurried busily around him, patting moss into place in the nests prepared for sick or injured cats, moving neat piles of herbs from place to place in her den—generally, just trying to appear busy. "Actually, I've come to ask you something about your life in the city as a rogue, Sandpelt."

"Ah—what?" Sandpelt jerked her sleek head up, scattering a small pile of berries as her paw gave a startled twitch. Tigerstar reached forward to help her scoop them together, but she pushed his paw aside and started the task herself. "Wh-why would you...? That's...over now..."

"Cloudpaw seems very upset about something," Tigerstar replied calmly. His mouth twisted to the side. "Are...are you sure there's nothing I can do to help you? You look like you've got your paws more than full here."

"N—no, everything's perfectly fine." Sandpelt abandoned her attempt to contain the berries; the round fruit rolled aimlessly around her and Tigerstar as she sat down. "Now, what is it about Cloudpaw?"

"Well, as you know, when Honeypelt took to the nursery, I took up training her apprentice, and as Cloudpaw's acting mentor, I'm obligated to care for her emotional needs as well as her physical needs." Tigerstar chose his words carefully. Sandpelt's paws kept twitching, and he wondered if she'd rake her claws over his nose if he upset her any further. "She seems very distraught about something that happened in the city. Something about someone named Crow—"

He was cut off as Sandpelt leapt suddenly to her paws. Her blue eyes flashed wide. "C-Crow?" she spluttered. "Who told you about him?" She whipped around and started to pace, her lashing tail scattering careful piles of leaves and seeds. "Why did she bring up _him_?"

"Sandpelt, I must order you to calm yourself before you destroy your entire den!" Tigerstar snapped, losing his temper. Sandpelt froze, her golden hackles falling. She stared at the runaway herbs as though seeing them for the first time. "Now tell me, for Cloudpaw's sake as well as my own curiosity."

"Crow..." Sandpelt shook her head, baring her fangs angrily. "He was my mate, and Cloudpaw's father. He was just like Shadepaw in life: reckless, fierce-tempered, and foolish. He seemed to believe that he was invincible." A shudder rippled her fur. "He died as he lived, Tigerstar, trying to tell his children that Twoleg monsters were not alive, and therefore couldn't hurt him. He sat in the middle of the Thunderpath and let one hit him full-on. His last words were 'See? Nothing but a scratch!' The monster had, in fact, ripped his chest wide open."

"What did he look like?"

"Just like his son. Wild black fur that made him look like he'd just crawled out of a river and shaken himself dry. Green eyes and paws that never stood still. I don't know why I used to love him..."

"What happened between the two of you?"

Sandpelt sighed. She looked genuinely sad. "When our kits were about three or four moons old, I caught Crow trying to take our son away," she told him softly. "I asked why. 'Things just aren't working out between us,' he told me. 'I'm sorry, Sandy, but it's time I took Billie here and did my own thing.' 'You can't!' I told him. 'Billie isn't our only kit, Crow! What about his sisters? Tamara? Cloud? Sam?'"

"What did he tell you?"

"He didn't say anything at first. I think he just realized that his son wasn't the only thing keeping us together, and that there were three other kits in our litter. Finally, he said, 'Well, you've got friends who can help you with them, right? You don't need me around.'" Sandpelt sighed again. "Have you ever noticed how Shadepaw's fur doesn't lie flat on his shoulders? When Crow tried to run away with him, he dug his fangs in to the poor scrap's back and scarred him." She looked up at Tigerstar with sardonically sweet eyes. "That's who Crow was, Tigerstar. He was a disgrace, a menace, and I was glad the day he died."

Tigerstar drew in breath slowly and let it out as he nodded. "I see," he meowed. "Well, Sandpelt, should I send in some cat to help you clean up this mess?" He flicked his tail at the helter-skelter array of healing herbs. Sandpelt tossed her sleek head in an ashamed way.

"No," she mewed. "I...I think I can manage it. Thank you, though."

"What made you so agitated?"

Sandpelt stopped with her paw on a few juniper berries. She twitched an ear. "Oh, I—that is, I—I don..." She whipped around to face him. "I hear whispers every night," she hissed intently. "Cats whose voices I've never heard try to tell me things. I ignore them, or tell them to leave me alone." She collapsed and let out a soft moan. "I'm going mad..."

"Not at all." Tigerstar licked behind her ear soothingly. "The voices you hear are the voices of StarClan. They're trying to talk to you, Sandpelt, and they've been trying for moons now. Don't ignore them. You're not going mad, you're being a medicine cat."

"If the job involves hearing voices, I think I'll quit," Sandpelt murmured miserably. She toyed with a few seeds, sighing softly. "And I know what you're going to say, Tigerstar. There's no quitting it. Don't even bother." She heaved herself to her paws with a grunt. "Right," she continued, her old self once again. "As long as I know I'm still perfectly sane, that's all I needed. And yes, send in Whitepaw to help me."

Tigerstar nodded and left the den. He couldn't help feeling a little better informed. _So that's who Crow was...And by Cloudpaw's reaction to his death, he was well loved by his kits, even if he only loved one in return. But this doesn't help me at all...I'm supposed to be thinking of a way to take out the dog pack!_ He gave his head a rapid shake and lowered his face to the tunnel of the apprentices den. "Whitepaw?"

"Here," came the reply.

"Sandpelt wants your help cleaning out her den. She's had...a bit of a mishap and everything's out of order," Tigerstar explained. He backed up to let the tabby she-cat out and followed her with his eyes as she left.

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The next couple of days passed with dreamlike quality for Tigerstar. Sometimes the dark warrior would find himself leading a patrol or hunting with Cloudpaw, and have no recollection of ever getting out of his nest. Every time he got a quiet moment to himself, he turned over Redtail's words in his mind. _Just as fire cannot consume fire, tiger cannot defeat tiger._ What did it mean?

_What is the fire? _he wondered. _Is it Firestar? _He scowled. _I'd sooner die than let that filthy kittypet anywhere near my Clan!_

"Tigerstar?"

Tigerstar jolted his head out of his chest. Suddenly, he was painfully aware that he'd just spent the last few moments sitting in front of the fresh-kill pile muttering under his breath. Nightfur was studying him curiously, his head to the side. "Everything all right, Tigerstar?" he asked.

"Ah...Yes." Against his better judgement, the leader of FourClan divulged something to an ordinary warrior. "Tell me, Nightfur, when you hear the word 'fire', what do you think of?"

Nightfur shivered. "Back in the city once, a Twoleg nest I was sleeping in caught fire," he meowed. "A bunch of red, screaming monsters came and spat water all over it, and I just barely got out of it in time..."

Well, that didn't help anything. Tigerstar tried again. "If I say the words 'tiger cannot defeat tiger', do you see anything different?" he asked. Nightfur looked at him curiously. "Like, do you get some kind of mental image?"

"Yeah...the day Tigerheart was exiled...I see him standing there below Greatshard and glaring up at you, you glaring down at him...But neither of you are moving, fighting...nothing's happening. Tigerstar and Tigerheart aren't fighting, and neither gets defeated...Why?"

Tigerstar sank his claws into a squirrel. "Thank you, Nightfur," he meowed evenly. He grabbed the prey in his teeth and walked back to his den, hearing Nightfur murmur behind him:

"...All right..."

_Maybe the fire doesn't mean anything,_ Tigerstar thought. _After all, it's only used to compare tiger fighting tiger...So what is StarClan saying? I'll never be able to defeat Tigerheart? That's fine; with only three paws, he's hardly a threat to any cat._

Or was he? A ripple of foreboding ruffled Tigerstar's thick pelt in a shudder of cold fear. The massive brown tabby gave his rumpled shoulders a self-conscious lick. The look in Tigerheart's eyes at his exile had said quite plainly that he did not intend to leave well enough alone. He was going to finish the job he'd started, be it with only three paws, only two paws—Tigerstar was sure the traitorous tomcat would find a way with just _one _paw. _It's not over,_ Tigerstar thought, repeating the dark warrior's parting words to himself. _What could he possibly be planning now?_

_Just as fire cannot consume fire, tiger cannot defeat tiger. If I can't destroy Tigerheart, who can?_ Tigerstar abandoned the squirrel and started up on his seemingly favorite activity: pacing. He prowled back and forth across the floor of his den, tail twitching. _It's too quiet. We haven't found any trace of the dogs or Tigerheart, which is not a good thing. If we don't know where either of them are, we can't drive them away. It's almost as though they've vanished._ The thought cheered him up, but not for long. _Nothing just vanishes, except in a nervous kit's story. They're out there somewhere._

Tigerstar stalked out of his den, forgetting about the half-eaten squirrel. He pushed out of the camp and into the forest. He'd find those dogs if it was the last thing he ever did! Powerful muscles rippled under his shoulder fur as he took off running, leaping across the forest floor. He lost himself to the easy rhythm of running, the whistling wind in his ears, the smell of green life. It was a relief to race so powerfully through the woods like this. He grinned at the thought of Tigerheart trying to run. Tigerstar could easily picture the tom taking a great stride, then falling flat on his face as he tried to put down a foot that wasn't there anymore. He skidded to a halt, panting and purring as strengthening daylight warmed his fur.

"No!" A sharp yowl, followed by a strand of cursing, caught his attention. The voice made his blood run cold.

Tigerheart.

The dark tabby leader of FourClan slipped into a light hunting crouch and started in the direction of Tigerheart's angry outburst. "No!" Tigerheart continued loudly. "Curse this leg! Why?" A few branches rustled and before Tigerstar could duck away, Tigerheart's muzzle was bumping up against his. The three-pawed warrior flattened his ears and drew back as though struck. "Tigerstar!" he snarled. "Come to rub exile in my face, have you?"

Clearly, Tigerheart hadn't been keeping well. His once-sleek pelt was rumpled and patchy, matted with burrs. The white sock on his paw, which he had groomed so meticulously, was muddy and dark. His sturdy body was wasted, and Tigerstar could count every one of his ribs and the bones in his spine as well. The only thing truly alive about him was his eyes. Sparks seemed to fly from the emerald depths as Tigerheart curled his lips into a growl.

"On the contrary, I've come to find you," Tigerstar told him curtly. Tigerheart's eyes stopped spitting anger and softened. He purred weakly.

"To...to take me back?" he mewed hopefully. Tigerstar was reminded strongly of another cat: Darkstripe. He was helpless and worthless unless he knew he was going to be protected by some cat bigger than himself. It was the FourClan leader's turn to bare his fangs.

"Don't get your hopes up, Tigerheart," he spat. "FourClan will never open its paws to you. No, actually, I need to ask you about something. Where—"

Tigerheart cut him off with a sharp smack of the tail to Tigerstar's muzzle. The lame tabby whirled around—staggering as he once again tried to use a nonexistent paw—and started to hobble away. "Now why should I help you?" he asked furiously. "I mean, you cast me from my Clan, you sentenced me to a fate worse than death...And you expect me to help you without a second thought?"

Tigerstar lost his temper with the insolent rogue—he reminded himself that that was what Tigerheart was now—and launched himself onto the scrawny back. Tigerheart collapsed with a yowl, but did not make any effort to free himself. "Now listen _very closely_," Tigerstar hissed. "I could kill you here and now"—_And I w**ould**, too!_—"but I won't just yet." _Because I'm too soft._ "Now tell me something, Tigerheart...you know where the pack is, don't you?"

"I'll never tell you anything!" Tigerheart screamed. "Never!"

Tigerstar unsheathed his claws. The long talons dug into the scruff of Tigerheart's neck. The dark tabby quivered fearfully. "But you do know where they are, don't you?" Tigerstar continued in a dangerously sweet, soft tone of voice. "Tell me where, and against my better judgement, I'll hunt something for you."

Silence fell over the two toms as Tigerheart thought the offer over carefully. _What else could I offer him?_ Tigerstar wondered. _Not that I'd ever consider taking him back to the Clan, but what else does this cat need? There has to be something more I can tempt him with._

"How much would you hunt?" Tigerheart drawled. "I have to be..._sure_...of what I'm getting and whether or not it will last..."

"We'll negotiate that part of it later."

"I'd rather do it now..."

Tigerstar let his fangs prick the black ear. "Perhaps you didn't understand me," he growled. "There's a pack of wild dogs running loose near my Clan, and if you don't tell me where to find them, I'll find them myself and feed them to you!"

"You wouldn't!"

"Wouldn't I?"

Tigerheart fell silent. At length, he gave a soft sigh and meowed, "Let me up and I'll show you where their den is."

"That's better." Tigerstar sheathed his claws and stepped off of the bony back of Tigerheart. "Now, on your paws—no, you don't need my help to do that, you've done it on your own before—and let's move."

Tigerheart staggered clumsily upright, his whiskers twitching. His stomach gave a loud snarl of hunger, and he flattened his ears. "You know, Tigerstar, I'd much prefer it if—" But Tigerstar did not give him time to finish. He gave the rogue tomcat a rough nudge with his brawny shoulder and snapped, "While I'm still young."

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"This is it," Tigerheart panted. He wobbled unsteadily on his remaining paws and had to sit down. Tigerstar sniffed the air, grimacing in disgust. Yes, this was it all right. The smell of dog was everywhere.

Tigerheart had led the way, though hesitantly and painfully slowly, across to the old ShadowClan territory, stopping at a veritable mountain of fallen trees. The wood was rotten and weevil-eaten, and a narrow opening could be seen at ground level. Scratched-up soil showed where the dogs had dug in search of StarClan knew what. Tigerstar took a hesitant pace towards the opening, claws unsheathed, hackles raised, fangs bared. Just then, he heard a mad scrabbling sound as Tigerheart tried desperately to climb up a nearby pine tree. Tigerstar spun around. "Quiet!" he hissed urgently.

"No!!" Tigerheart yowled as loudly as he could. Loud barks and drumming feet shook the boggy ground. The pack leader's big head pushed up through the narrow opening and he yelped at the sight of the FourClan leader.

"Pack! Pack!"

"Kill! Kill!"

Tigerstar knew he'd been taken along. It was like a nightmare he couldn't escape from as he darted away from the pack's den as fast as he could. Somehow, his legs didn't seem long enough; his strides, fast enough; his pursuers, slow enough. He could feel the hot pack breath on his hindpaws, feel their slobber spatter him as they gave chase. The dark tabby risked a look over his shoulder at them.

Why hadn't he noticed it before? Their jaws parted wider than his burly shoulderblades as they yipped and panted, and saliva dribbled down with every leap and bound. Their eyes were dark and bright, wild with excitement and hunger. Their muscles bunched and stretched under short brown-and-black patched pelts as they ran. The leader threw back his head and howled, a fearsome noise that chilled Tigerstar's blood in his veins. He whipped his head around and pounded across the black, sticky, foul surface of the Thunderpath, just as a monster roared along it. He heard a sharp cry, followed by the squeal of a stopping monster and the heartbroken whine of the dogs.

_One of them's been hit,_ he told himself, and glanced over his shoulder again. The leader and nearly all of the pack were gathered around a broken, bleeding dog, whimpering and whining. Nearly all. One pup was still chasing after Tigerstar. It was of the runty sort, standing only a little taller than Tigerstar, but its eyes blazed with a fierce vigor and it kept up the chase the others had abandoned. Tigerstar licked his nose and redoubled his running speed. The pup was his size, but the cat's legs were much longer.

Tigerstar shot ahead, keeping himself pointed towards the river. He could hear the yelps of the pack as they scattered from the Twoleg inside the monster's belly. He kept running. Hopefully, the rest of the dogs would run back where they'd come from. Behind him, the pup growled, "Kill, kill! Kill, kill!"

"You only wish!" Tigerstar spat back angrily without turning to look at the beast. "You think you've got what it takes to bring me down, whelp? Prove it!"

"Kill!" whined the pup.

"Work for it, then, if you want it so badly!"

He led the dog on a merry chase through the regrowing forest. He jumped over a small puddle, hearing the dog's large paws splash noisily and clumsily through it. _That's right...Get the big kitty...Big kitty wants you to keep chasing it..._

The water of the river flowed ahead, and Tigerstar headed for the shallows. He leapt in, feeling the water tug at his paws, crisp and cool. The dog pup was panting and drooling all over its white chest, its eyes half-shut in tiredness. Tigerstar mewed, and its ears perked up. "Come here, you great lump!" he goaded. "Let's see what you're made of!"

Giving a high, squealy howl, the young dog launched itself at Tigerstar, fangs bared to rip cat flesh. The dark tabby tom caught it and, digging his hooked claws into its shoulders, forced its nose underwater. The small monstrosity flailed and gurgled, and finally managed to whip its slender body around. Tigerstar released it. Its back was bleeding heavily, and it whined piteously. Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. "No mercy from me," he told it bluntly. "You think I'll let you walk off to become one of _them_?"

"Pack," the puppy whimpered. "Pack, pack."

"No pack here."

"Kill!"

"No killing without a fair fight, pup."

The dog groaned and barked something Tigerstar couldn't understand. He didn't care. He flung himself at it again, this time scoring his claws down its jowls. The pup let out a sharp howl and lashed out with a paw, catching him across the side of the face. It was young, but great StarClan, it was strong! Tigerstar shook his head dizzily and swiped his claws again across its cheek. The dog yipped high and snarled low. "Kill-kill-kill!!" it bayed, and charged Tigerstar.

Tigerstar saw a black blur speed towards the injured dog pup, and a heartbeat later, Ravenflight came into his eyes' focus, slashing and tearing at the beast. "Get _out_!" the black deputy screeched. "I don't want to see you here again, mutt!"

"PACK!" the dog howled, snapping over its shoulders at Ravenflight. Tigerstar bounded up and latched his teeth into its throat. The dog probably would have survived if it had thought carefully before acting. If it had scratched at Tigerstar hard enough, the tabby tom would have released it, and from there, it could have shaken off Ravenflight and run away. However, the pup did not think. It threw back its head with such force, that Tigerstar's sharp teeth were yanked out of its throat, coming away with a large chunk of it. The river ran red. Crimson waves soaked both tomcats' pelts as the pup fell with a splash into the water.

"Tha...thank you...Ravenflight," Tigerstar puffed, spitting to clear the dog's thick-tasting blood from his mouth. Ravenflight flicked his white-tipped tail.

"Sure," he panted. "Couldn't...let you...face it...alone..."

Tigerstar gave himself a stiff shake and leapt out of the river. Ravenflight followed his lead. The two cats watched the dog pup's body drift away downriver. Slowly, clean water pulsing from the source cleared the traces of blood away. It was then that Ravenflight spoke. "Where were you?"

"I went out to find the pack's den," Tigerstar explained, his amber eyes still fixed firmly on the clear water. "I ran into Tigerheart—"

"I thought I smelled him on your fur," Ravenflight interrupted mildly.

"—Yes. I managed to, er..._convince_ him to show me where the pack was." Ravenflight let out a muffled purr, and Tigerstar figured he knew what was mean by 'convinced.' "He set me up, and set the pack on me. I managed to distract them on the Thunderpath, but that pup wouldn't quit. Lucky for me you showed up when you did, really. Made bringing down the dog much easier."

"Do you think the pack will come after us?"

"Ravenflight, I have no doubt that they will, especially if they ever get wind that the cats in these woods have murdered one of their young. However, we know where they're denned, so that counts for something."

Ravenflight said nothing, but stretched out his neck to lick gently at a cut on the side of Tigerstar's broad, furry face. Tigerstar felt a wave of exhaustion wash over his body and he curled up closer to let his old friend bathe his wounds. As he licked, the black tom started to purr quietly, the hum vibrating through Tigerstar's bones in a comforting rumble. They were silent. Finally, after Ravenflight had washed every scrape left by the vicious pup, the pair of them got up and headed back to camp.

"Honeypelt's been asking for you all day, Tigerstar."

"Really?"

"Yes. I think she heard about your kit-sitting and decided you could give her a paw in keeping Wetkit and Sparrowkit out of her fur."

"Fishbelly's got to be firmer with those little furballs."

"Oh, come now. You don't really mean that, do you?"

"Yes."

Ravenflight gave Tigerstar a friendly nudge with his shoulder. Tigerstar returned the gesture, and the size difference between the pair of them resulted in Ravenflight taking a tumble into a clump of wild strawberry plants. The black tom leapt up, purring with amusement. Tigerstar rasped his tongue over his ear affectionately. "You know what, Ravenflight? It's times like this that make me glad I'll leave FourClan in your paws."

**Aww...doesn't that make you feel all mushy-gushy inside?**

**Tigerstar: Should we tell them?**

**Ehh...I dunno...It's kinda personal...**

**Ravenflight: RUTHIE GOT A PRIVATE MESSAGE FROM SOMEONE WHO WANTS HER TO DO A TIGERRAVEN SLASHFIC!! O.O**

**..._Thank you_, Ravenflight.**

**Sasha: Are you serious?! (starts laughing hysterically) Oh'm...Oh'm...Oh'migawd!! Ruthie, is he being serious?**

**Unfortunately, yes. It seems that I can write mushy-gushy a little too well.**

**Tigerstar: We refused point-blank.**

**Starshine: Correction: _You_ refused point-blank. Ruthie fell off her chair laughing and sent back the reply, "Only when I forget to take my meds for a solid week."**

**Correctly corrected, Starshine. Yeah...I'm not gonna tell you who it was...I don't want their ass flameified. Ch...Well, what can I say? Apparently, someone out there thinks Tiggerstar should be paired with Ravenflunkie.**

**Tigerstar: "Ravenflunkie"?**

**Shut up, Tiggerstar. Anyways, I probably won't do it...no, that would really screw me up. I've never written slash in my life. Eh...and to do it with two of my favorite characters...That's seriously effed up, lemme tell ya.**


	14. Sandpelt's Plan

**Ooh...Chapter 14! Everyone know what that means?**

**Starshine: XI—**

**No! Well, technically, yes, XIV, but it also means it's...RUTHIE'S LUCKY CHAPTER!! See, 14 is my lucky number. I was born on a Saturday the 14th. Which means I was born the day after Friday the 13th!**

**Tigerstar: Your point?**

**...Um (shrugs) I thought I made that pretty clear, I mean...Fourteen is my favorite/lucky number...and therefore...Chapter 14 would be my...favorite/lucky...Chapter...**

**Tigerstar: You lost me there.**

**Stay lost then, fur-breath. Scoot, kid, you're botherin' me.**

**Ravenflight: Does that mean I get a chapter?**

**Ehm...no? See, Tigerstar _is_ kinda the main character here, so, this would be his chapter...Yeah...Tiggerstar, you're on!**

Tigerstar called a meeting as soon as he returned to the camp. He knew he must have made quite a sight, perched atop the jagged spur of Greatshard with his pelt torn and dripping, still reeking of dog and swamp. Cats murmured to each other in hushed tones, the scent of their fear steadily growing as the rest of their number gathered. Finally, Joey spoke up. "Tigerstar, tell us what happened to you!" he cried, green eyes wide with fear. "Where have you been?"

"I found the dogs," Tigerstar replied, giving his fur a quick shake. Pale red water spattered the Greatshard, and a few of the closer cats leapt back bristling. "Tigerheart has hidden them in ShadowClan's old territory, and I fear that my stupidity has led them back to us."

Yowls of terror erupted from the gathered FourClan cats. Shadepaw flung himself protectively over Whitepaw, his black fur standing on end. Joey's paws jerked, and his shoulders were edging him in the direction of the nursery. Starshine pressed herself to the ground, her yellow eyes bulging. The chorus of fear, confusion, and outrage crescendoed until even Tigerstar and Ravenflight combined could not be heard. Then, a voice rose. "Silence!"

Sandpelt streaked out of her den, pale fur pressed flat to her body. She lunged up to stand beside Tigerstar, panting, and yowled, "Listen to me, cats of FourClan! Our warrior ancestors have shown me everything!" She glanced back at Tigerstar, her eyes glimmering with gratitude as she mouthed the words _I listened._ She turned back. "The dogs have indeed gathered in our territory, but—" She was forced to raise her voice even more as the others broke out in meows once again. "—_BUT, we can defeat them!"_

Tigerstar nodded approvingly to himself. The Clan had fallen dead silent at the mere mention of victory over the dog pack. They were gazing up at Sandpelt in mixed awe and admiration. How brave and powerful she must look from below! For by standing as close to her as he was, Tigerstar could see clearly how her paws twitched nervously and her fur kept parting in shivers of fear.

"How?" Tigerstar asked, slinking up beside her. Sandpelt scooted to the side to allow the big tabby tom purchase on the rock below. "What did StarClan say we must do, Sandpelt?" The golden she-cat's eyes flickered from confidence to fear, and Tigerstar was forced to wonder if she'd made everything up. But the bold look returned quickly, and Sandpelt flashed him a swift grin.

"I dreamed that I was walking beside a small tortoiseshell tom," Sandpelt meowed. "We walked the paths of our territory in silence. He stopped me suddenly in front of a jumble of sandstone rocks. I could see a small, dark cave and something told me that this was what we had been looking for. I asked the tom what I should do, and he told me, _Water will know._" She stretched her neck forwards. "I took my dream first to the elders—Frostfur in particular, for frost is but water in a different form. Frostfur told me that the tom in my dreams was once a ThunderClan warrior called Redtail. She said that the place he had shown me was called Snakerocks.

"I was still baffled. What could StarClan possibly want me to do with this heap of stone? I knew that this was how we would get rid of the dog pack, but I couldn't see how we could put it to use." She sighed dreamily. "I puzzled for ages, and came to the conclusion that I was simply not thinking right. Frostfur had told me that Redtail very much loved young kits, and believed that sometimes they were wiser than the oldest of elders. Then I realized what he wanted from me. I spoke to Wetkit—"

"That's me!" Wetkit's gray head poked out of the nursery bush briefly before Fishbelly's paw pulled it back inside.

"—and she told me, 'Isn't it obvious? Trap them there!' And so, that is how we will be rid of the dogs. We will lure them to Snakerocks and bury them alive!" Her voice suddenly filled with wild passion, and she howled the last sentence loudly. Silence hung over the clearing for a few heartbeats, then voices swelled with the same conviction as the medicine cat's had.

Sandpelt was quivering, and she stumbled back from the Greatshard's edge against Tigerstar's dark-striped flank. Fear-scent rose from her flanks and she mewled like a sick kit. "Never..." she breathed weakly. "Never...stand up and talk...again..."

"There, there," Tigerstar soothed, gently licking her ears. "It's all over now, Sandpelt. You're fine. Thank you for giving my Clan courage."

Sandpelt nodded mutely, and at a nod from his leader, Ravenflight took charge. "Well," he commented haughtily, "that sounds like a Clan who knows what they're doing. Tigerstar and I will discuss the plan further with a few chosen cats, and will put it into action as soon as possible." The voices of FourClan swelled with loud approval. Ravenflight twitched his tail to signal the meeting's end, and cats broke off into excitedly murmuring groups.

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"Now, what I did was set a trail of rabbits—that's what I'd been feeding them—to where the ThunderClan camp was," Tigerstar meowed. "I figured that they would follow the food they knew best and...well..."

"It's all right," Nightfur muttered. "We know what you did. We know you're not proud of it anymore. Now, continue."

Tigerstar opened his mouth to remind the black tom that warriors generally did not give orders to their leaders. He stopped himself and kept going. "At any rate, I left them a trail of fresh-kill in the direction I wanted them to go."

"Which is complicated in that we don't exactly know what Tigerheart was feeding them," Ravenflight pointed out mildly. He shrugged. "Well, I'm sure the dogs would eat just about anything they didn't have to kill first."

The air in the elders den was warm and somewhat musty. Tigerstar was crouched there with Ravenflight, Nightfur, Honeypelt, Frostfur, Shadepelt, and Loudbelly. The huge tabby tom glanced from cat to cat. "The only concern I have is how we'll trap them at Snakerocks," he told them. "Does any cat have an idea?"

"We could...I dunno...Maybe find some way to get the adders all excited so that when the dogs got to Snakerocks, the snakes all attacked them?" Ravenflight shrugged again. "That's the best I can come up with."

"You forgot we could send a rockslide down on them," Honeypelt mewed. Ravenflight's ear twitched.

"I didn't, Honeypelt, I just didn't think it was very realistic. We're forest cats, not lions. I can't see us shoving those boulders around." The twitch of the tawny cat's muzzle said she clearly begged to differ, but she wasn't planning on arguing with the Clan deputy.

"Maybe—ooh!—maybe we could have a few cats hunt up a badger or some foxes," Nightfur burst out, causing every cat to turn and stare hard at him. "We could lead them up to Snakerocks, and jump out of their way, timing it so that they smash up against a few rocks and knock them onto the dogs."

"Clever," Tigerstar admitted, "but you forgot that we would have to time everything perfectly, and we wouldn't exactly be able to practice our plan." Nightfur's ears drooped sadly, but he nodded reasonably.

"If you ask my opinion," Frostfur put in, in a voice cracked with many moons of age, "you aren't thinking like kits. And don't make me bring _those _little monsters in here. Remember, if Redtail planned this out for us, he would want us to think like kits through and through. Even—" she glared at Ravenflight—"if it means being unrealistic."

Tigerstar looked from cat to cat. "We can send a few warriors out at daybreak tomorrow," he offered, "and have them size up the topmost rocks. Do I have volunteers?" Nightfur and Ravenflight raised their tails.

"I can probably convince Arrowstripe to come with us," the black warrior meowed. "Ever since I found out just how terrible Tigerheart was, he took me in. We're good friends now."

"I know you won't like this, Tigerstar," Ravenflight murmured, "but I'll be glad to take out Shadepaw and some others." Tigerstar shook his head. "No? Didn't think so."

**By the way, I know it was a little confusing there, so I'll clarify. The "black warrior" speaking first in that exchange is Nightfur. I was going to screw everyone over and have the second speaker be "the black deputy", but I thought better of it at the last second.**

_Nightfur, Arrowstripe, and Ravenflight, _Tigerstar thought. _All three of them have dark fur. Maybe they should leave as early as possible, while there are still shadows for them to hide in. Yes, I think that will work out just fine._ Aloud, he meowed, "The three of you will go tomorrow, just before the sun rises. Stick to the shadows, and if you even smell the slightest whiff of dog, you are to come straight back." The three toms nodded brusquely.

"So it's decided?" Nightfur looked around the gathered cats as he stood. "If the boulders on top look to be of good shoving size, we'll go through with the plan?" Tigerstar nodded.

"Remember that sandstone is fairly light," Shadepelt advised them. "You might want to do a few test pushes on any rocks scattered around the pile to get a feel for how it weighs." She blinked her amber eyes sleepily. "All right, well, if that's everything...kindly leave us to sleep."

"Hear, hear," Loudbelly mumbled, grunting as his joints creaked and popped when he shifted position. Tigerstar flashed his warriors an amused look before dipping his head respectfully and backing out of the halfnest. Honeypelt sauntered up beside him, unable to come as close as he would have liked her to because of her round belly.

"It's a bold plan," she murmured, reaching out her neck to press her muzzle into his neck. Tigerstar nodded and licked behind her ears. "But it'll have to work. Do you think we can do it?"

"I know we'll do it," he purred. "And when we put it into action, I'll bring you back some dog fur to line our kits' nests with." Honeypelt gave a sweet, loving _mrrow_. "What? You don't think I'm being serious?"

"Promise me you'll wash before going to sleep tonight," she teased. "You still smell like marshwater and dog blood." Tigerstar spat sticking his tongue out at her. The golden-brown queen purred and swiped a playful paw at her mate's grinning face. Tigerstar opened his mouth and caught the paw between gentle fangs.

"Ah'm 'ot giv'n it back," he taunted thickly. Honeypelt swept her body under his and battered his belly with her hind paws. Tigerstar, purring to hard to breathe around the foot in his mouth, released her. They scuffled playfully for a while, until Honeypelt's kit-round belly forced her to stop and catch her breath.

"I can hardly wait for them to be born," she whispered, her eyes soft. Tigerstar nodded as he lovingly groomed dust and leaf-scraps from her pelt. "I wonder what they'll look like every day. I hope we have one like its father."

"And its mother," Tigerstar added, nuzzling her belly. "You little ones be good," he told them sweetly. Honeypelt purred.

"They can't hear you, mouse-brain."

"Maybe they can."

The two cats shared a parting lick. Honeypelt turned and slipped neatly between the branches of the bush clump that was the nursery. Tigerstar nodded and headed towards his own den, feeling warm inside. He knew his kits would be good little ones. He had felt their minuscule paws tap at his nose when he touched his mate's flank.

_Tomorrow morning, we'll know if we can finally put an end to these dogs,_ he thought as he curled up into a contented ball to finish his squirrel from earlier. _Once that's out of the way, the Clan can finally live in peace._

But one thought still niggled in the back of his mind. Tigerstar knew that it didn't matter if his warriors suddenly grew to outrageous sizes and swallowed the dogs whole. FourClan would have no peace unless Tigerheart was dead. _Just as fire cannot consume fire, tiger cannot defeat tiger._

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The air was warm and damp as the party of three warriors slipped out of the camp. The sun had not risen to a height where it could be seen, leaving the land covered in a sort of half-dawn. Soft shadows glistening with dew glimmered dully in the sleeping forest. Tigerstar, his paws damp with the chilly condensation, watched the three cats leave—at least, he _thought_ it was them he was watching. He found himself staring at what he thought to be Ravenflight for a while until he realized that the black tomcat's pawsteps had long since faded from the air, and he had been studying an oddly-shaped rock quite intently.

They were gone, and would be until near sunhigh. Tigerstar wondered what he would do with himself until that time. Shadepaw and Whitepaw would be just as bored as the mighty tabby tom without their mentors to distract them. No patrols would be sent out without Ravenflight's authority as deputy to choose the cats. In fact, it was entirely likely that the whole of FourClan would lounge around the camp to wait for the return of the three warriors, gossiping, sharing tongues, wondering whether or not they should have a bite of fresh-kill.

Tigerstar turned away from the camp entrance and heaved himself up onto the jutting spur of Greatshard to wash. The camp was silent and peaceful. No one so much as rolled over in their dens. The dark tabby warrior wondered just how much longer his cats could put up with the burden of confinement. He realized that only a few cats had actually left the camp since the discovery of the dogs. It would have been only the biggest and strongest...and in one case, the youngest. Tigerstar himself, Ravenflight, Arrowstripe, Joey, and Whitepaw were the only cats who had left the camp for any extended period of time.

_It's for their own safety,_ he reminded himself heavily. _The others aren't strong enough or fast enough to defend themselves from the dogs. Oh, great StarClan—I'm allowed out, and it bothers **me**! Having to keep them here every day. I hope those three find a way to seal the dogs in Snakerocks, so the rest of FourClan can run free again!_

He flinched as a faraway monster on the Thunderpath let out a loud, groaning yowl, and remembered how he'd led the pack onto the black path the previous day. One of the dogs had been hit by a monster, but he couldn't be sure if it had died or not. If it had, then the pack was down by two dogs, possibly giving FourClan an edge. _And if it hadn't..._He quivered. If it hadn't, then the pack would have all the more reason to start crying for Tigerstar's blood.

_Where is Tigerheart? I left him in a tree in ShadowClan land...Could he have gotten down and back over here?_ The huge tabby gave his wet paw a thoughtful lick. _I can't imagine him setting the pack on me without making an effort to watch what happened. If that's the case, then he's probably across the Thunderpath. Maybe that monster was growling at him._ His face hardened. _I hope it's hit him. If tiger can't defeat tiger, that means that monster **can**._

The thought satisfied him, and for an instant, he was purring over an image of Tigerheart screaming and running down the Thunderpath with a monster chasing him. Then reality struck him with a cold, hard paw, and he remembered that three of his strongest warriors were out in the same forest as a pack of wild dogs. His whiskers twitched. And he had been having so much _fun_, too!

_Well, there's nothing I can do but wait,_ he thought, turning his tongue to his back and shoulders. _Ravenflight, Arrowstripe, and Nightfur will return when they do, and will have very important news for us._

His claws shot out and screeched sharply across the rock as he struggled to push aside a single, brutal, bloodstained thought: _If they ever come back at all._

**Wow, this is kind of wordy, ain't it? Don't worry, it picks up later. **

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"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Greatshard for a Clan meeting!"

Tigerstar's worst fears were unconfirmed. The patrol had returned just after sunhigh, looking dusty, pawsore, and tired, but otherwise unharmed. Ravenflight sat proudly at the deputy's position, his chin raised. His amber eyes were glittering with untold secrets, and Tigerstar knew that the mission had been a success. He waited a little longer for the rest of the Clan to gether before continuing, "No doubt you all heard from some cat that three of our warrior went out this morning. They have returned with important news for us all."

The dark tabby stepped aside to allow Ravenflight a place to stand on Greatshard's top spur. Ravenflight was panting with excitement as he meowed, "Cats of FourClan, we will be rid of the dogs before the next moon! Nightfur, Arrowstripe, and myself went to Snakerocks before sunrise today and found that there are rocks perched atop the mound in the perfect position to be pushed down. We found rocks of similar size on the ground and, after giving them a few shoves, found that we can easily push them around."

Cats yowled in triumph. Leafpaw, who was normally a serious, reserved she-cat, let out a wild whoop and pounced up into the air in a fit of pure joy. Tigerstar let them cheer for a while before flicking his tail to silence them. Slowly, the shouts of victory faded from the air. "Thank you, you three, for all you've done for your Clan. You did wonderfully," Tigerstar congratulated, smiling. "We'll need time to plan out just how we will lure the dogs into the caves, of course."

"Of course." Ravenflight nodded, glancing at Arrowstripe and Nightfur.

"I would like to see all the warriors in my den after the meeting," Tigerstar continued. "If that is everything, then you may return to your duties." The apprentices looked downcast as they conversed all the way back to their den. Tigerstar leapt down from the Greatshard, flicking his tail to gather Ravenflight, Arrowstripe, Nightfur, Joey, and Starshine around him. "Now, does any cat have any idea of how to lure the pack to Snakerocks and distract them for long enough?" he asked.

"If we could find the pup you killed," Joey offered, "we could hide it in the cave and leave a trail of its blood there. While they're mourning it, we could easily start the rockslide."

Starshine murmured disapprovingly, "It's been dead for a few days now, Joey, and it's been floating in water. Have you ever seen a body under such conditions?" The ginger tabby shook his head, and the former Tribe queen shivered. "I have. One of Wing's kits fell into the Path of Rushing Water...it was days before we found him, and the sight doesn't bear repeating." Ravenflight licked her shoulder soothingly.

"So that's out," Tigerstar mewed. "Anyone else?"

"Fresh-kill?" Ravenflight looked from cat to cat. "I know we don't know for sure if Tigerheart's been feeding them anything in particular, but...I know he gave them at least a rabbit somewhere along the way."

Tigerstar saw the afternoon Ravenflight was talking about flash before his eyes. He'd seen Tigerheart, looking very nervous, standing over a freshly-killed rabbit. Later, when Tigerstar had been back in camp, a dog had barked, and he realized that neither Tigerheart nor the rabbit had made it back to the camp. He nodded. "All right, that could work. Any more ideas?"

"We could use a decoy," Nightfur burst out suddenly, his eyes shining. "Whoever is the swiftest could lead the dogs to Snakerocks, and..." He frowned. "Somehow...manage to...get out before the dogs caught them...and before we...start the rockslide...Never mind."

"It was a good start," Tigerstar told him gently. "And really, we could make it work, if we made a small hole for the decoy cat to get out—a hole too small for the dogs to use."

"It wouldn't be worth the effort," Nightfur muttered darkly. "Forget I said anything, Tigerstar." Tigerstar shook his head.

"No. If the fresh-kill plan falls through, yours would be a wonderful backup plan."

"Oh!" Starshine sat up straighter, her white fangs flashing in a grin. "Oh! We could...no, no that wouldn't be right..." She glanced around sheepishly at the curious faces. "Well, I was thinking we could trap Tigerheart and use him as bait. After all, the dogs have tasted his blood and likely want more if they smell it. But that would be too cruel, wouldn't it?"

"No," Arrowstripe and Ravenflight growled together, their eyes flashing hatred for the three-pawed rogue.

"Yes," Tigerstar stressed, and his authority as Clan leader ruled both of them out. "As loyal Clan warriors, you are supposed to be above such things as murder." The chastised toms nodded silently, their heads bowed in submission. "Are there any other plans?"

He waited, but no other cat raised their voice. He nodded. "All right. We should prepare as best as we can for Ravenflight and Nightfur's plans. Some cats will have to hunt while others make a small hole for our decoy cat should we choose to go with that plan."

"Who will our decoy be?" Arrowstripe asked. Starshine lifted her head and meowed in a clear voice, "I will."

She couldn't possibly have realized how strange she looked, a slender she-cat surrounded by burly-shouldered toms. Because of her lean body, the fact that kits were just starting to develop in her belly was painfully apparent, even though her belly was only a little more round than before. Ravenflight opened his mouth in protest, his eyes showing fear for his mate. Joey just barely managed to swallow an amused _mrrow_. Arrowstripe just stared.

"I will," Starshine repeated, undaunted, "because of who I am. Look at you—if any of you were the decoy, the hole would be big enough for a small dog to fit through and escape. You're all too muscular and bulky." She turned to face each tomcat as she said their names. "I'm less than half the size of you, Arrowstripe. I know I'm faster than you are, Joey. Ravenflight, I know you don't want me to do this, but I'm the only one who cat. And Tigerstar..." She gulped softly as she turned to him.

"You don't have to say anything," Tigerstar meowed, dipping his head to her. "You're smaller and faster than I ever was. And if any cat dares to tell you that you aren't suited for this task, I'll take them on myself." Starshine's eyes glittered with relief. "It's a dangerous job you've volunteered to do, Starshine, and I hope that if you must do it, you do it safely. FourClan can't afford to lose you."

The silver tabby winked at him, drawing her tail down his flank as she turned back to sit beside her mate. Tigerstar looked up at the other warriors. "Well, if no cat objects," he began. Heads shook. "All right. Ravenflight, I'm putting you in charge of the hunters. We'll try to use your plan, but if that fails to work, we'll have to use Nightfur's. We should prepare for both."

"I want Joey and...Shadepaw?" Tigerstar nodded. "Joey and Shadepaw to hunt with me. If you can spare Arrowstripe, I'd love to take him with me."

"I can. Starshine, you, Nightfur will work on making the escape hole for you to use," Tigerstar ordered. "That way you'll know how big to make it." Joey lifted his head sharply, his mouth open. "Yes?"

"Take Leafpaw with you, too. She's very skilled with her paws, and I have no doubt that she can help you make the hole neat and sturdy." Tigerstar dipped his head.

"Whitepaw, too!" Arrowstripe looked excited at the thought of his apprentice helping out the Clan in such a big way. "She's just as smart and skilled as her sister."

"And can we take Cloudpaw with us?" Ravenflight asked. "She knows how to bring down some prey."

"All right," Tigerstar confirmed. "It's Ravenflight, Arrowstripe, Joey, Shadepaw, and Cloudpaw hunting; and Starshine, Nightfur, Whitepaw, and Leafpaw are helping make the escape hole for our attractive decoy." Starshine let out a soft purr at the flattery; Ravenflight's whiskers gave an annoyed twitch. "Is that agreed?" All the warriors howled in agreement. "We'll start tomorrow. Until then, prepare."

"Wait...what are you going to do, Tigerstar?" Ravenflight asked, for the dark tabby had not included himself in any group. Tigerstar's amber eyes glinted and narrowed.

"I'm going to find the dogs," he replied.

**Ooh! Dun-dun-dun! Dramatic dialogue, huh? X3 Yeah, I thought it would make this a sort of mini-cliffhanger. Anyways, I just wanna thank all you people for reviewing this story! It makes me very happy, and I think you'll be pleased to hear that I'm going to make a story to come after this one.**

**Tigerstar: Oh, goody.**

**Very much goody. You see, it stars one of your little furballs. I'd introduce her to you now, but she's not born yet, so I can't.**


	15. Preparation

**Now we get to have fun! See, this chapter will switch between the views of Tigerstar, Ravenflight, and Starshine, so you get to see all the preparation that goes on! X3 Don't you just love me for that?**

**Starshine****: So I finally get a chapter?**

**Or a section of one, at least. (Starshine sighs) But I'll try and make it good and long for you. (pats her on the head) You've been very patient, and aside from the Katana Incident, you've been very tolerant of the wait.**

_Ravenflight's POV_

The encouragement of his Clanmates still ringing in his ears, Ravenflight struck out with his three other cats. Shadepaw ran up beside his mentor, his eyes shining with happiness and excitement. The black tom licked behind his ears. "Are you ready to hunt like never before?" he asked the bouncy apprentice. Shadepaw nodded.

"I'll bring in enough fresh-kill to feed the dogs for a moon," he mewed proudly, returning the lick. "In fact, I have an idea! Why don't we hunt a bunch of prey for inside the cave to keep them there, as well as a trail to lure them there?"

Arrowstripe grunted thoughtfully. "That'll work great," the dark tom murmured. He faltered, then looked to Ravenflight for approval, and the deputy nodded. Ravenflight was only slightly annoyed that Arrowstripe had okayed an idea without letting _him _speak first.

_They're shaping up into fine Clan cats, though,_ he reminded himself fairly. _It was only that Tigerheart who was real trouble._

"All right, Arrowstripe, you take Cloudpaw," he meowed. "Why don't the two of you head for the area near the old ThunderClan camp? That should be good hunting for you. Shadepaw and I will hunt by High Land and Thunderfall Gorge." The cats nodded and went their separate ways. Ravenflight flicked his tail for his apprentice to follow him.

The air was warming up, and spots of light dappled the ground in spots and stripes of pale green. The two black toms prowled silently through their territory, both fully aware of the oppressive silence. It was clear that the dogs had indeed returned to FourClan territory and were scaring the prey into hiding. Ravenflight twitched his whiskers as a fresh breeze drifted across them, bringing the scent of dove to his nose. He glanced down at Shadepaw. "If you can find it," he breathed, "it's all yours."

Shadepaw nodded, his green eyes glowing with excitement. He dropped down into a hunter's crouch and slipped towards the puff of air. _Good, he's staying downwind._ Ravenflight nodded. The lanky black apprentice placed each paw carefully in a speckle of light. _I see...he's blending with the shadows on the ground. A very nice move. I wish I knew who taught him that one. They could have showed me a few things._ The dark deputy watched in satisfaction as Shadepaw slowly vanished from view, his shadowy pelt merging with the forest floor.

A few minutes later, Ravenflight heard the rustle of wings, the scrabble of paws on leaf litter, and the chrunching crash of a bird being brought to earth. He bounded over. "Great catch, Shadepaw!" he purred, touching noses with the young cat. "Who taught you to hunt like that?"

"I just...I don't really know," Shadepaw mewed, laying a black paw on his catch. "It just seemed like the right thing to do, I guess. Why, was it good? Should I keep hunting like that?"

"By all means, do! I hope that if you get an apprentice, they're dark enough of fur to pull it off."

Shadepaw butted his mentor's flank with his head affectionately. "Thanks Ravenflight," he murmured. "I didn't know what you would think about it." He leapt up. "All right, what's next?" Ravenflight motioned for him to pick up his prey, purring.

"Well, let's start by hunting where we _said_ we'd hunt."

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"Great jump, Ravenflight!" Shadepaw cheered. Ravenflight fell back to earth with a rather undignified thump, a starling grasped between his front paws. The black bird chirped shrilly and flashed its shining black wings in an effort to escape. Ravenflight finished it with a swift bite and looked up.

The bird had come out of nowhere, doing its usual sweep-up-swoop-low flight pattern a few tail-lengths above High Land, completely oblivious of the two cats standing by a pile of caught fauna. The deputy of FourClan hadn't even thought about it, but his instincts had. Something in the back of his mind had said quite clearly that he could jump up and catch that little bird. His paws had moved without his command, racing after the shimmering morsel, and had thrown him off the edge of what had once been the RiverClan camp. He had lashed out to catch it, snagged it on the wing, and then proceeded to obey the laws of gravity.

"Thank you, Shadepaw," he replied with as much dignity as he could muster. "Would you like it? We've been hunting for a while now, and I bet you're hungry. Besides, I doubt the dogs will want to eat more than a few birds." He tossed the small bird up to his apprentice, who snatched it with a quick claw, and heaved himself up onto the rise again. "Too feathery."

Shadepaw nodded and started to pluck the feathers from the small bird. "Pretty little things, aren't they?" he asked, nudging them so they sparkled in the sunlight. Ravenflight nodded. "Wouldn't it be great to have wings? Shining black ones like these...No bird would stand a chance! We could fly up to Silverpelt and share tongues with StarClan."

"A lovely dream," Ravenflight told him, choosing the dove Shadepaw had caught earlier from the pile. "I wish we could. Fly up to Silverpelt...I'd love to do that and see my mother." He sighed softly and pulled a few pinions from the bird's wing.

"I'd see my father, Crow," Shadepaw meowed without hesitation. "What was your mother's name, Ravenflight?"

Ravenflight plucked a some more, buying time to answer. What _was_ his mother's name? He knew that though Goldenflower, a pale ginger queen, had raised him, she hadn't given birth to him. He thought silently, then replied, "I...Well, I was adopted, I can tell you that much. My mother died giving birth to me." Her name came to him in a burst of insight. "Nightstorm—that was her name."

"Nightstorm," Shadepaw repeated. "That's a pretty name. Was she pretty?"

"All the toms adored her," answered his mentor, quoting Goldenflower, "but she had eyes for only one."

"Who?"

"I don't know. The she-cat who adopted me never said. She told me I'd learn when I was a warrior...which she never saw me become."

"She died?"

"No. I...I left my Clan because Ti...because an evil cat drove me out with lies and angry words."

"Who was it?"

_Tigerstar—or should I say Tigerclaw?_ "You don't need to worry."

"I'll fight him!"

"He's gone now. He...he died long ago."

"Oh." Shadepaw nodded. "So did my father. I barely remember him." He crunched softly on a bird bone, the hollow structure crumbling easily under his sharp fangs and strong jaws. The black apprentice spat out a few fragments and took another bite.

It was nice to just sit and eat with his apprentice. Ravenflight could almost forget about the dogs and the plan to get rid of them once and for all. A soft chattering noise reached his ears. He sat up quickly, ears twisting to catch the noise again. Claws skittered across a rock, and in a stream of black fire, Shadepaw attacked. His quarry gave a high-pitched, dying squeal. Ravenflight waited, and almost instantly, a small water vole soared through the air and landed at his feet. "Need a paw getting up, Shadepaw?"

"Nah, I got it." The young tomcat grunted and gouged deep scratches into the soft, crumbly, sandy soil. His head poked up over the edge. "On second though," he panted, "I could use a little help getting the rest of the way up."

"Sure." Ravenflight fastened his teeth into Shadepaw's scruff and pulled him up over the ledge. He overbalanced, expecting the apprentice to weigh much less than he did, and tumbled backwards. Shadepaw landed across his belly with a muffled grunt. Ravenflight let out a gasping puff of air. "Great StarClan, Shadepaw, you're getting big!"

"Am I almost a warrior?" Shadepaw asked, leaping off his mentor's stomach to prance around. "Tell me, Ravenflight, am I almost a warrior?"

"Oof, I can't say for sure," Ravenflight puffed, still gasping for breath. Shadepaw had knocked the wind right out of him. "But there's no denying how big you're getting. I'd say maybe another moon or so of training."

Shadepaw bounced up and pirouetted in happiness. "Whee!" he squealed. "Almost a warrior! Almost a warrior!"

"You'll never be a warrior if you act like that," the dark deputy growled, suddenly taking on a stern voice. Shadepaw stopped dead and snapped stiffly to attention as his mentor paced before him. "A warrior does not skip about like a frivolous kitten. A warrior is disciplined. Repeat!"

"A warrior is disciplined, _sir_!" Shadepaw yowled. Ravenflight dropped his act.

"Not so loudly," he hissed, fearfully glancing over both shoulders. "For all we know, we could be walking where the dogs share tongues every morning! We don't know where they are, and we won't until Tigerstar returns."

"Where is he, anyways?" Shadepaw asked, his head tilted to the side.

"I don't know, Shadepaw..."

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_Tigerstar's POV_

Tigerstar was roaming near Tallpines, his ears pressed flat to the sides of his head in anticipation. He couldn't help feeling foolish, though. Not even the dogs were stupid enough to come this close to Twolegs! Great StarClan, Twolegplace was hardly faraway. But the treecut monsters were silent, and the pack may have tried to shelter in the huge pine trees. The dark tabby leapt up onto a fencepost and craned his neck over the boundary it created.

They certainly weren't here. As overpowering as the pine smell was, the stench of dogs would definitely be stronger, and even Tigerstar's sharp nose couldn't pick up so much as a sniff of it. He sighed. _Let's see, they're not at Tallpines, Snakerocks, or by the Thunderpath._ He shuddered at the memory. It had been a few days since he'd led the pack over the dark road, and still the mangled, crushed body of the struck dog lay beside it. Not even the scavengers would touch it, it seemed.

Where should he check next? They'd denned for a while at the ThunderClan camp's clearing, so maybe they'd returned to their old home. Snarling, Tigerstar turned away from the fence and jumped back down to the ground, pointing his body in the direction of the camp. He broke into a run, wondering just what it would take to finally rid the forest of these creatures.

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"I didn't know you would be here...I thought Ravenflight would have taken you with him."

Arrowstripe shook his head. "No, he and Shadepaw split off," he replied. "They headed for High Land, if you're looking for them." He frowned slightly. "But I thought you were looking for the dogs." Beside him, Whitepaw nodded, her head tilted curiously.

"I was," Tigerstar told him patiently, "and I'm looking here. Everything all right?"

"Yes." Arrowstripe nodded. "I haven't caught a sniff of them here. I don't know where they're hiding, but I hope it's far away from us."

Tigerstar glanced around the scant forest and nodded. "All right," he meowed. "Keep up the good work, you two. I'll keep looking." He dipped his head towards Arrowstripe and Whitepaw, and bounded away towards the river.

_What place is big enough to hide the pack? The moors? Unless they've gone back to the ShadowClan side of the Thunderpath, that's the only logical place they'd be. I'm sure Ravenflight and Shadepaw are fine where they are, so it's up the hill we go!_

The dark tabby cleared a narrow point in the waters with a flying leap, landing less than gracefully on the other side. He gave his pelt a quick, self-conscious shake and started towards the moors. As he ran, he couldn't help a prickle of foreboding. What if everything went wrong? What if the pack _didn't_ follow the trail of fresh-kill and they were forced to use Starshine as a lure? What if the pack outran the slender she-cat and fell upon her and her unborn kits? What if Starshine wasn't enough to attract and keep their attention, and they went for the biggest concentration of cat-scent they could find: the FourClan camp?

_No!_ he told himself savagely. _It will go just as we planned it! They'll follow the trail and be trapped at Snakerocks!_

He told himself this over and over again, until a tiny flicker of belief stirred in his heart. Tigerstar encouraged it, feeding it images of the dog pack blundering blindly into the caves of sandstone, the sounds of their frustrated howls as rocks cut them off and trapped them in the cave. He darted past the camp and shot like a dark furry bullet towards the hill that began the moorlands.

Even in newleaf, it seemed, the cats of WindClan would have had to deal with the forceful winds of their territory. The warm air currents flattened Tigerstar's dark fur to his body and made his eyes water. He narrowed his eyelids and hunched up his shoulders, digging his thorn-sharp claws into the soft, peaty ground to avoid being swept off his paws. Almost instantly, a cross-breeze brought him the scent of dog. He followed the wind, wondering just how far he would have to follow it to find the dogs.

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The reek of dog grew stronger with each step. Tigerstar realized, with a sinking heart, that the trail was leading him straight to the old WindClan camp. He hoped the vicious beasts hadn't done too much damage to the careful screens of thorny gorse that enclosed the clearing. The Twoleg monsters hadn't touched the WindClan camp, and he had been hoping to keep it just as the wiry cats had left it. When the day finally came that FourClan would split, the cats who would form WindClan would need the appropriate place to shelter.

He crept carefully toward the camp, the smell of dog making him feel lightheaded. It was a dark, heavy odor that blocked out everything else. Tigerstar was sure that if a Twoleg monster had chosen that moment to come up behind him, he would only have known it was there through hearing. The dogs had been there for a long time, and the oppressive stench of their urine markers clearly said they intended to stay. Things looked grim.

_If I'm interpreting their markers correctly, then it'll take some effort to get them to leave their new home,_ Tigerstar thought, edging closer still to the pack's new den. _We may just have to use the decoy idea...but not even Starshine could outrun them for such a distance! We'd have to use the whole Clan, each cat running for as long as they could, to draw them to Snakerocks...Well, maybe not the whole Clan, but most of it._

He froze, tabby pelt on end. What in StarClan's name was he doing? If he got the pack giving chase now, the whole Clan would be in danger! No cat was even halfway prepared, and all the preparation they _had_ done would be worthless. The massive tomcat whipped around and sped away, running as though the pack really was on his heels.

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_Starshine's POV_

"Try now, Starshine," Whitepaw mewed. Starshine, glancing warily around for the adders that Ravenflight told her lived amongst these stones, stepped obligingly into the cave and headed for the new hole. She tested with width with her whiskers, for a cat's whiskers spread as far out as its shoulders do. It was a squeeze, but she could make it. Taking a deep breath, the slender she-cat pushed first her head, then her shoulders, clawing the ground to tug herself the rest of the way through. Nightfur shook his head.

"No, that won't do," he muttered. "No, because you should be able to run right through the hole. If you have to stop and pull yourself out like that, one of the dogs will have grabbed your hind legs or tail. We'll have to make it bigger."

The silver tabby nodded, purring as the meticulous Leafpaw brushed crumbs of dirt and bits of root from her sleek pelt. "I agree," she told him. "Thank you, Leafpaw, that's all right—But remember, we can't make it too big. Tigerstar says there's a few pups with the pack, and they're about his size."

"I highly doubt we're stupid enough to make a Tigerstar-sized hole for you," Nightfur meowed, his voice tinged with amusement. "Tigerstar is at least twice as big as you are around, and about that much as tall." Starshine nodded.

"It's about the right size, really. I mean, I can almost get through it without squeezing."

Leafpaw and Whitepaw exchanged nods with Nightfur, and the black tom painstakingly scraped away more of the rocky rubble between two boulders. The sun overhead was pleasantly warm as it filtered through the trees' leaves. Starshine stretched lazily and turned her attention to the mound of sandy-colored boulders looming before her. While the three others worked on widening the hole, she kept watch for adders. A few of the silver-marked snakes were out, their tongues flicking out of their scaly mouths occasionally as they basked in the sun.

"Try that."

Starshine nodded and went around to the mouth of the cave. She squinted her eyes to keep the sudden shift into darkness less dramatic. Once inside the cool shadows, she opened her eyes wider. Her Awareness arose, and she felt the tiny muscles expand her slitted pupils. As a to-be, she had learned to be completely tuned into her body's every movement. The cat who had trained her had always said that if you understood your own body and knew its every move, you could reach a certain state of hyper-alertness, in which nothing escaped your notice.

And even now, she found she could hear the stealthy rustling noises of more adders—three more to be precise—make their way out to the sunlight. She nodded and turned her attention to the ray of golden light that glowed on the floor of the cave. Her whiskers couldn't feel the edges of the opening, and, backing up, the former cave-guard bounded forwards, shooting through the hole in a silvery-black streak. Nightfur cheered.

"Well!" he declared happily. "I think it's quite clear that you'll make it through the hole without any sort of trouble! Mission accomplished."

Starshine grinned and nodded as she turned back to look at the hole. It was far from being "Tigerstar-sized", as Nightfur had put it. In fact, it barely looked Starshine-sized. She looked at the muddy cats around her. "Well done," she meowed. "What should we do now? We've done our share."

"I don't know. I suppose we could always try to find Tigerstar," Nightfur began, but Starshine shook her head.

"He wouldn't want us following him," she pointed out. "He's looking for the dogs, remember?"

"He's found the dogs," a deep voice commented, and in a rustle of branches, the FourClan leader appeared. Starshine flinched away from the harsh stench of dog clinging to his fur. "I know, I stink. I think I ran through a pile of dog dung, too." He sniffed a huge paw, grimacing. "Well, I've got bad news, but I think the others should hear it."

**Starshine****: You're bringing him into my part of the chapter?!**

**Dear, don't worry. I'll make sure to get you another section, a Tigerstar-free section, once the actual chase begins. And anyways, it won't be just him.**

"We can hear it now," Ravenflight's voice added, and the black tom appeared on the other side of Snakerocks, the other three cats behind him. "We stashed the fresh-kill everywhere, Tigerstar," he reported. "Some of it's in trees, some of it's under trees. That way, if a badger or fox come along, they won't get all of it."

"Good work, Ravenflight," Tigerstar praised, while Starshine pressed close to her mate and twined their tails together. Ravenflight licked dust from her head and purred.

"What's the word?" Nightfur asked.

"I found the dogs," Tigerstar told them grimly. "They're up in the moors. All the fresh-kill in the forest wouldn't make a trail to bring them down, and Starshine can't run that long." Starshine opened her mouth to tell him he'd be surprised, but Ravenflight shook his head discreetly. "We might have to use a series of decoys, with Starshine being the last." He glanced at the hole. "Are you sure that's big enough?"

For an answer, Starshine plunged into the hollow, turned around inside the cave, and hopped back out. Tigerstar nodded. "I know when I've been proved wrong. All right. What I was thinking was that we could leave the fresh-kill in the hole and lead the dogs to it. While they're eating, we set up the rockslide and trap them inside with the adders."

"And themselves," Ravenflight added, licking a paw. He wrinkled his nose. "Great StarClan, Tigerstar, you smell horrible! Watch out, I might push you into the river to get rid of the stink!" All but Tigerstar broke out purring. The dark tabby snorted.

"Ha-ha-ha, Ravenflight," he mewed sarcastically. "Don't forget: I'm bigger. If you even try to push me in, I'll drag you in with me!"

"Then lick harder! You're not walking into camp smelling like that!"

"You're not Clan leader. You can't tell me what to do."

"He will be someday," Starshine meowed, her eyes glowing. To herself, she added, "He'll be Ravenstar, strong and bold...unafraid of anything..."

"This is wonderfully amusing," the stoic Arrowstripe cut in harshly, "but quite frankly, it's not getting us anywhere. All right, we've got the dogs trapped, then what?"

Tigerstar blinked at him, looking mildly surprised. "We go home heroes," he replied simply. Starshine sighed as Cloudpaw, Whitepaw, and Leafpaw gathered around her feet.

"Toms," she told them in an undertone. "They're such stupid furballs, aren't they?"

"All right," Tigerstar meowed, rising to his paws. "I think we've done as much as we can for now. All that's left is to plan out which cat will be running when. I'm thinking I could start the run and take the pack down to Thunderfall Gorge. Now, Ravenflight, if we were to place..." Starshine closed her ears to the rest of his sentence and headed back to camp. She let her Awareness surface and focused her attention on the tiny kits in her belly.

The Awareness was sort of a sixth sense to her. She focused hard on the tiny scraps of life within her body, thinking only of them. There were two of them. She saw their furless, alien forms curled up tight in their little birth-sacs. They didn't look anything like newborn kits, but they would someday. The silver queen sighed happily. Two. Two kits.

It was just past sunhigh when the dusty, muddy, tired cats returned home. Joey and Tigerstar, each thinking the same thought, headed straight for the nursery. Shadepaw was chatting excitedly with his sisters, reenacting Ravenflight's daredevil leap to catch a starling. Arrowstripe pushed his way towards the warriors den. Soon the clearing was empty except for Ravenflight and Starshine.

"They'll be beautiful," the black tomcat murmured, nosing her flank. "I can hardly wait."

Starshine nodded, rubbing her muzzle along his dark neck. She recalled Tigerheart's last words to the deputy. _You had better watch your pretty little neck, Ravenflight. Be very careful with it. It's so slender and graceful...it'd be a pity to have it _snap

_He does have a pretty neck,_ she mused, sniffing his glossy black fur. _But thankfully, Tigerheart will never see it again._

"I love you, Ravenflight," she whispered softly, ruffling the shiny hairs with her soft breath. Ravenflight licked her face, his purring filling her senses with a warm, droning hum. She pressed closer to him.

"I love you too, Starshine," he murmured. "And that's why I'm so worried. I hate the thought of you having to be chased by those monsters. I worry that something will go wrong, that you might slip or have them catch up to you. I don't want to lose you."

"Mouse-brain," the she-cat teased, flicking his nose with her black-tipped tail. "Don't worry about me. I won't just be running for all of FourClan, you know. I'll be running for you, and for our kits as well. I won't let the dogs get me."

Ravenflight said nothing, merely pulled his mate closer to him with a sweep of his tail. They sat, locked in their embrace, for moon, it seemed. Neither said a word further, each overcome with emotion. Starshine could not smother a burst of fear, though, as she suddenly realized just what kind of a risk she'd be running as the final decoy.

**Starshine****: That was quite pathetic, Ruthie. I really hope you'll give me more of a section in future chapters.**

**Oh, don't worry. I will. You'll get one all to yourself, I promise. And in the next story, you'll get chapters! Whole chapters, all to yourself! Think of that, and tremble!**


	16. Plan in Action

**Now for the climax! This will be a ridiculously long chapter, because I can't break it up reasonably without leaving unforgivable cliffhangers. So, buckle down and bear with me. I think you will find this chapter to be very satisfying indeed. (wink wink)**

**Tigerstar: Ruthie, what are you planning?**

**Oh, you'll like this too, Tigerstar. :D Well, here we go!**

_Tigerstar's POV_

"All right, let's go."

Tigerstar gave the command, and set out from the camp. Two days had passed since the preparation for the plan had begun, and FourClan was ready to put it into action.

Elders, queens, and kits were safely hidden in bramble thickets near the Thunderpath. Sandpelt had been forced to subdue Wetkit and Sparrowkit with poppy seeds to keep them still and hidden while the group of warriors and apprentices set out to finish off the dogs once and for all. The medicine cat, Nightfur, and Cloudpaw stayed with them as a sort of guard, Nightfur being a warrior and Cloudpaw having been trained by the fierce Honeypelt.

Tigerstar, Ravenflight, Arrowstripe, Starshine, Joey, Shadepaw, Whitepaw, and Leafpaw had left together. Everything was set in place. All the fresh-kill (except a few pieces, which had gone to the cats staying behind) was heaped up in the cave at Snakerocks. Every cat's eyes were wide, their breath coming in excited pants. This was it.

Arrowstripe and Joey would take up positions at Snakerocks, waiting to start the rockslide. They were the bulkiest cats, aside from Tigerstar, who had a different duty to perform. He would start the chase, his long claws giving him the advantage of a better grip on the ground of the moors. He would lead them down to High Land, where Ravenflight and Shadepaw would take up the chase. As the two toms passed the ThunderClan camp, Whitepaw and Leafpaw would run next. Their part would be small, and from there, Starshine would run the last leg of the chase.

Tigerstar watched his cats exchange a few parting licks and nudges. He wondered briefly if they thought this would be the last they saw of each other. _They're wrong,_ he thought bracingly. _I've chosen cats who I know can do this. All the others stayed behind._ He glanced over and saw Whitepaw and Leafpaw shivering. Should he send the two she-cats back? Just as he stepped forward, they sat up stiffly and gave him bold looks. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked.

"Tigerstar," Leafpaw growled, keeping her voice low to hide the tremor, "if we thought we couldn't handle a little run through the territory, we'd have stayed back with the elders." Whitepaw nodded.

"We're going through with it," she squeaked softly. Tigerstar licked both their heads.

"Run with the speed of StarClan," he murmured. "FourClan honors your courage and devotion. Hopefully, we'll be blessed with new warriors tonight."

The dawn was a dully, pearly gray, and the heavy clouds were swollen with rain like a queen with kits. The air was thick with moisture. The cats had brushed through dewy grass and leaves on their way out of camp. Arrowstripe's thick, dark fur clung uncomfortably to his muscular body, and he kept shaking himself as though trying to rid himself of the moisture. Ravenflight, on the other paw, looked even more sleek than usual, the water droplets giving his pelt a sort of burnished look. Beside him, Shadepaw's green eyes blazed with wild excitement, and his paws traced an endless, thrilled dance.

"Is everyone ready?" the dark tabby asked. Heads nodded. "Then let's get into position. You all know your roles by heart, and we've practiced this run many times to make sure our switches are flawless. May StarClan be with you all as you run. May you be as brave as a lion, strong as a tiger, swift as a cheetah, and cunning as a leopard. You're all true warriors, no matter what your heritage."

He flicked his tail up, and the cats broke off and dispersed. The silence hung heavy in the air. No cat dared to speak. Tigerstar took a deep breath and started, slowly, towards the old WindClan border. He gulped to force his racing heart down from his throat. As he started up the sloping hill, something rustled in the bracken beside him. The huge tabby froze, opening his mouth. A faint, familiar scent brushed up against the roof of his mouth, tickling the scent glands there. Amber eyes narrowed, and a low rumble started in his throat. He waited on edge, but whatever it had been was gone. Snorting with annoyance, Tigerstar resumed his climb, feeling eyes on the back of his neck that vanished every time he turned to look.

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Wind buffeted Tigerstar as he pushed doggedly towards the old WindClan camp, threatening to knock him off his paws with each step. He remembered what a WindClan apprentice, Mudpaw, had told him long ago when he himself had been an apprentice. _Three points of contact is our secret. Keep three paws on the ground all the time, and the winds can't do anything to you. _But these winds were different. They were the aroused pants of a storm that was prowling towards the forest like a massive warrior. Tigerstar loosed his long, hooked claws and sunk them into the ground with each step.

Soon the wind brought him the stench of dog. The dark tabby stood stock-still a few foxlengths from the camp, took in a deep breath, and let loose a loud yowl. Nothing. He cried out again, hoping to attract the dogs' attention from a distance to keep a good head start on them. There was silence, then the sound of whimpers, yips, and snorts. Tigerstar yowled once more for good measure and tore down the hillside like a demon was on his heels.

"Pack, pack! Kill, kill!"

He had them.

The dark tabby took a flying leap and risked a look back. The dogs were giving chase, their long tongue flopping out of their slobbering jaws and flapping like flags in the wind. The pack leader gave a baying howl, which the pack echoed. Tigerstar turned back ahead and kept running. The dogs were still a couple of foxlengths away from him, and he didn't feel like risking a closer lead. He bolted down the hillside, wondering if this was what it felt like to be a rabbit or a squirrel—running for your life, knowing full well that death was chasing you, and having only a few safe places to hide from it.

His breath came in ragged, short gasps. His heart hammered frantically against his breastbone. He could hear the wild whoops and cries of the pack as they raced up behind him. Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. _Deal with it!_ he told himself angrily. _The Clan is depending on you leading them down to the next cat. Don't fail them! StarClan gave them to you to protect; don't let them down!_

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_Ravenflight's POV_

Ravenflight tasted the air nervously. He could hear the soft, faded sounds of the pack howling in the distance, and shifted from paw to paw uneasily. Shadepaw looked up at him, his eyes wide with, not excitement, but fear. "I'm not sure if I want to do this anymore, Ravenflight," he whispered. "I've never seen these dogs before...I don't think I can run faster than them."

"I'm sorry, Shadepaw," Ravenflight meowed, licking behind his ears. "If I thought I could leave you here, then I would. But your scent is already here, and if the dogs smell it, then they'll try and find you and not chase me."

Shadepaw heaved a heavy sigh. "I wish I'd stayed behind," he mewed sadly. "With Cloudpaw and the others...I'm just a coward, aren't I?"

"I don't think so." Ravenflight scented the air again. "You volunteered yourself to do this a few days ago, and you've stayed with it. You're not a coward. You're very brave. I'd be surprised if you stayed Shadepaw after toady, if you know what I mean."

Shadepaw's eyes lost their fear, becoming bright with hope. He opened his mouth to thank his mentor, but was cut off by a loud yowl from the nearing Tigerstar. Ravenflight jumped to his paws. "Come on, Shadepaw! That's the signal! Get ready to run. This is your chance to prove your courage and loyalty to FourClan!"

A few tense heartbeats later, the two black cats could hear the sound of Tigerstar clawing up a nearby tree. "Take them, Ravenflight!" he shouted. Ravenflight, though he could not see his former mentor, nodded and gave a loud cry. There came a few snuffling noises, then:

"Pack, pack! Kill, kill!"

"Let's move, Shadepaw!" Ravenflight ordered and streaked away. Shadepaw gasped as the pack leader ripped through a leafy azalea bush, snapping its slavering jaws and drooling copiously. He screeched in fear and pelted after Ravenflight, his tail bristled to twice its normal size. The pack leader gave another howl and lumbered after them.

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_Shadepaw's POV_

Green and black and brown whirled together in a confusing blur as the black apprentice sped along beside his mentor. Fear like he had never felt before coursed through his veins with every leap and bound. Each pant was high-pitched, carrying tones of a whimper. Shadepaw wondered just how much longer he could keep up his frantic run before the dogs, with their longer legs, overtook him and tore him to shreds.

"Keep running, Shadepaw!" Ravenflight yelled. "And stay brave! You can do this! Keep running!"

"I don...don't think...think I can...keep this...up...Ravenflight," he panted back. Ravenflight glanced back at the dogs, then swerved back and grasped Shadepaw by the scruff. He continued running, unhampered by his long-limbed burden.

The dogs behind them crashed loudly and clumsily through the undergrowth. Shadepaw moaned softly. He was getting carried like a kit, a shivering, mewling kit. He was going to be a warrior soon, wasn't he? It was shameful. He asked Ravenflight to let him run on his own. The black deputy judged the strength of his voice and the distance of the pack, then paused briefly to let Shadepaw run with his own four feet.

"Hurry!" he ordered as a dog snapped its fangs in anticipation. Shadepaw bolted ahead, feeling refreshed by his brief break. Ravenflight _had_ always told him that even a warrior knew when to call it quits. Maybe it hadn't been so shameful after all.

"Pack, pack! Kill, kill!"

"Not today you won't!" Shadepaw yowled angrily. Ravenflight gave him a warm look before leaping nimbly over a fallen branch in his path. A few tail-lengths later, the two cats flinched at the sound of a dog crushing the limb in its jaws.

"They're gaining on us!" Ravenflight hissed. "We'd better step it up a few paces if your sisters are going to have a good lead!"

The thought of Leafpaw and Whitepaw running from these monsters sent a wave of anger through Shadepaw. He shouldn't have let them do this! They were smaller than he was, they couldn't handle the pack! He felt the protective instinct of the older brother and shot forwards, his eyes narrowed coldly. Ravenflight let out a cheer of approval. "That's the way, Shadepaw!" he praised, putting on a hidden turn of speed to match his apprentice's strides.

The two toms bolted through the mist, making patches of empty air as they raced through the newleaf forest. The dogs followed them, panting and barking eagerly, their huge paws churning up the ground, their bulky bodies whipped by twigs. No sounds came from the forest, no chirps of birds, no rustles of squirrels, no crunches of rabbits. It was as if the very trees themselves were holding their breath, waiting in silence to see if FourClan triumphed.

Shadepaw thought his lungs would burst before they reached the ThunderClan camp where his two sisters waited. The moist air made him cough with each rasping breath he took. He was starting to feel dizzy. "Come on, Shadepaw," Ravenflight meowed. "Just a little further. You can do this! Don't give up on your Clan!"

_My...my Clan,_ the black apprentice thought lightheadedly. He sank his fangs into his bottom lip and pulled ahead, all but dragging his tired body forwards. It seemed like moons before Ravenflight ordered him up a tree to hide.

"Whitepaw! Leafpaw! Go now!"

Shadepaw heard his sisters dart away, yowling to draw the pack away from Ravenflight and their brother, and towards themselves. The black tomcat shivered, fluffing out his short black fur to try and keep the heat from his run into his bdy. It was over for him now. All he had to do was wait for Tigerstar to come and fetch him.

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_Whitepaw's POV_

"Leafpaw, you've got to keep up!"

"I'm trying, Whitepaw! I really am!"

Whitepaw hazarded a brief stop to lick her flagging littermate's cheek. "Maybe it's because you haven't seen the pack," she mewed. "Let me tell you, Leafpaw, once you've seen those dogs, it's enough to make you want to run for nine lives."

"How bad are—" Leafpaw broke off in a screech of terror as a dog's froth-flecked jaws snapped a whisker away from her tabby-striped tail. Whitepaw yowled in alarm, and the two set out at double their previous speed.

"That bad!" Whitepaw shrieked, her fur standing out all over her body in terror. She tried to clear her head and run sanely. Their part was the shortest run of them all. They just had to run until they heard Starshine yowl. Then, they would hide in the nearest tree until Tigerstar came for them. It wouldn't be long now until they heard the deputy's mate call the dogs to herself.

But it was still long enough to fill the young queen's heart with fear.

Leafpaw was panting hard beside her. Whitepaw couldn't turn to check on her. "Not much further," she repeated over and over under her breath. "Not much further now."

"Pack, pack! Kill, kill!"

"Whitepaw, they're gaining on us!"

"I know!"

"I can't keep this up!"

"Don't say that!"

Leafpaw groaned softly. Whitepaw whirled around and grabbed her sister by the scruff, then started to run again. It was hard, for they were the same size, and soon Leafpaw yowled that she could run on her own. Just then, Starshine gave a thunderous caterwaul.

"That's the signal!" Whitepaw managed to pant before clawing her way up the nearest tree. "Leafpaw, come on!"

She heard the scrabble of claws and turned her head to see the golden tabby struggling up the rough bark of an oak tree. Starshine yowled again. "Come here, you big drooling fleabags! Come and get some meat!" She let out a loud _mrrow_ as she taunted, "Pack, pack! Kill, kill!"

"Pack, Pack!" the dogs thundered back as one. "Kill, kill!"

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_Starshine's POV_

Starshine knew her move had been a bold one, but she knew it was necessary. Leafpaw and Whitepaw were easy prey to the pack, and the dogs needed a good bit of bait to be drawn away from such a slow meal. Heartbeats later, the dog pack was crashing through the forest in pursuit of the silver she-cat.

"That's right, you bumbling Twolegs! Come and get me!" she cried, and launched herself away towards Snakerocks. The pack howled and followed her.

Her heart had been racing ever since she had awoken this morning. Now, as she ran the feared run, she found herself alternately panting with sudden heat flashes and shivering with chills. All morning she had told herself that she wasn't afraid of these dogs, that if she died, it was for the good of FourClan. She was facing up to her buried fear now. Truth be told, she had been terrified of meeting the dogs ever since Tigerheart's unfortunate mauling.

And speaking of Tigerheart...

The silver tabby opened her mouth, not to pant, but to taste the air. His ugly scent hung nearby. It seemed he had come to watch his old Clan try and stop his dogs. _He's got something else coming to him if he thinks we'll let these brutes do us in!_ she thought with a flare of anger. She was no longer running to save the Clan. She was running to prove Tigerheart wrong.

"Pack! Pack! Kill! Kill!" the dogs barked in chorus. They were enjoying this hunt.

"You have to earn your kill!" Starshine teased, her voice trembling with suppressed fear. She narrowed her eyes in thought. Snakerocks couldn't be too far away from here.

Starshine ducked through a cluster of thorn bushes, flattening her ears and cursing as thorns snagged her fur. She comforted herself by imagining just how hard it would be for the dogs to scramble through the prickly branches. Purring under her breath, she forced herself faster. This was almost fun now.

Suddenly, the world flipped over. The sky became the ground, while trees sprouted from above. She had fallen, but not of her own accord. Something had tripped her, and it had felt like a furry nub. Sharp claws pinned her to the ground, and warm breath tickled her ear.

"Going somewhere, Starshine?"

It was Tigerheart.

"You!" Starshine spat, struggling to free herself. His one-pawed grip was surprisingly strong. Weeks of hobbling had bulked up the muscles in his remaining front paw. "What are you doing here, you traitor?"

"What am I doing here?" Tigerheart asked with poisonous sweetness. He raked his hind claws down her haunches, drawing blood. "Oh, you know, just making sure that the dogs do what I intended them to do: Destroy FourClan!"

Starshine tried to lift herself up, but all her running had sapped her strength. The howls of the pack came closer and closer, setting her fur on end. She was going to die here, taking her two nameless kits with her. _I failed._

"Why, Tigerheart?" she breathed. "Why are you doing this?"

"Isn't it obvious? At first it was simply to get back at that mewling black kitten you call a deputy—he's a disgrace the way he orders around cats older and stronger than him! But when the dogs attacked me and took one of my paws, you abandoned me! It's not just Ravenflight who's going to die today...it's all of FourClan!"

The silver tabby groaned. Her legs felt like water and her paws wouldn't move. She was utterly spent. She prepared to surrender herself to the mercy of Tigerheart, if he had any. Something tickled in her belly. One of her kits bumped its mother's stomach with a tiny paw, almost as if pleading her to carry on the fight. Starshine felt inspiration strike her. She let out a wail of defeat. "All right, Tigerheart...do what you want!"

Tigerheart's eyes flashed surprise, as though he hadn't expected such an easy surrender. "There, there," he purred, "it's all right. I'm feeling generous today, so I'll spare you for now." His paw lifted from her shoulder. As soon as the weight was gone, Starshine struck out with her claws, catching him full across the face.

"I'd rather die defending FourClan than live supporting you!" she snarled, slashing again and again. Tigerheart's blood spattered across the ground in livid red drops. The dark tabby yowled in pain.

"Pack! Pack!"

"Kill! Kill!"

The dog pack burst through the thorns, scratched and winded. The pack leader sniffed the air and growled. Its beady, black eyes centered firmly on Tigerheart's bleeding face. The long tongue swiped out to take a taste, and the big dog whined eagerly and bared its sharp fangs. Tigerheart let out a choking gasp. "N-no..."

Starshine fled as Tigerheart's agonized screams tore through the air. She tried desperately to close her ears to the harsh ripping noises. Her stomach churned sickeningly. She was forced to stop. Bitter bile filled her mouth, and she retched in disgust. The traitor's cried weakened steadily until the air was as oppressively silent and stifling as it had been earlier—if not more so.

Tigerheart was no more.

The former Tribe she-cat felt as weak as a newborn kit. Her legs trembled as she wiped a paw across her mouth. She was shivering feverishly. "He...he's gone," she rasped. "Tigerheart is dead..." A harsh mental image blazed across her mind of the bloodstained clearing, littered with tufts of dark fur and bloody bones. She vomited again.

"Pack, pack! Kill, kill!"

The pack was coming for her. Tigerheart hadn't fed all of them. The more subordinate dogs were still hungry for cat flesh. Starshine wiped her muzzle again and darted back out. "Come along!" she yowled. "Come and get me!"

She ran like never before, flying across the ground like a bird through air. Tigerstar's words flashed through her mind: _May StarClan be with you all as you run. May you be as brave as a lion, strong as a tiger, swift as a cheetah, and cunning as a leopard. _

_Keep running,_ the voice of a tom whispered to her. Starshine didn't need to look to know that the ghostly cat was racing alongside her, obstacles passing through his body as though he were made of mist and smoke.

The pack scrambled behind her, red-stained fangs exposed as they howled for more blood. Starshine put on a turn of speed. She felt as though some otherworldly being was spurring her ahead, pushing her to her very limit. She blazed across the land, screeching at the top of her lungs, "I'M COMING!!"

Snakerocks, the worn pile of smooth stone, came into her view. Starshine could feel the hot pack breath on her tail as she ran flat-out, hear their ragged breathing, smell their bloody breath. They were close behind her now. She shot into the cave, raising her Awareness as quickly as she could. The sun wasn't shining, so there would be no light to direct her to her escape hole. She saw thin, ethereal tendrils of mist creeping through one part of the wall. There was her hole! The silver queen skidded, then bolted for the opening.

Sharp fangs gripped her tail just as her paws touched the ground outside. She could feel blood start to dribble from the end of the appendage and yanked it free. Dogs snapped and wailed. "NOW!!" she screamed. "NOW! NOW! NOW!!"

"YAAAAH!!" Joey shrilled, while Arrowstripe merely grunted. Starshine collapsed a few tail-lengths away from the cave, closing her eyes as rocks pounded dully against the ground. Dogs brayed and yelped, their stubby claws scrabbling against the walls of the cave. Dazedly, she studied her tail.

About a whisker's length of it was gone, lost to the jaws of one of the pack. _At least,_ she reasoned foggily with herself, _at least it was a clean tear...The edges of the wound aren't jagged at all...A small sacrifice to the Tribe of Endless...Stars..._Her world faded to black.

**Starshine: (big shiny anime eyes) I got to be a hero...**

**Yep. And best of all...**

**(Ruthie, Tigerstar, et. al. dance around cheering "Tigerheart is dead! Tigerheart is dead!" over and over again and again.)**


	17. Soothing Scars, Watching Stars

**Well, there you have it. The dogs are gone, Tigerheart is now in a bazillion pieces, and FourClan is saved. You know what that means, right?**

**Tigerstar: The...end?**

**Not yet.**

**Ravenflight: Ruthie, we're all tired...**

**Oh, come on, this is the healing chapter. This is where everyone gets together and celebrates the demise of their enemies. (All groan) Hey, I'm the authoress here! I promise I'll make it easy on you guys.**

**Sasha: Well...if you must...**

**I must. (turns to readers) This is the final chapter, folks. I hope you enjoyed Forest of Purity and FourClan's Perils. (sniff) I'm gonna miss them so much...Well, I've decided that the story cannot end here. So, keep a lookout for the next story in this series...Whose title I don't know yet. I will post a chapter at the end of this story telling you when it's been uploaded. Until then, enjoy the finale!**

_Tigerstar's POV_

No cat wanted to budge from their spot beside Snakerocks. Tigerstar had collected his tree-bound warriors and taken them down to the stony mound. The mist of the morning had burned off, and bright, warm sunlight dappled the ground at their paws. The air was filled with the snarls and screams of the dogs as they fought and killed one another in fits of rage and fear.

The dark tabby rolled onto his back, sighing softly. "So Tigerheart is dead," he murmured wonderingly. A few cats mewed in agreement. They were still too stunned by the many close saves of the day to be responsive. Tigerstar shifted to his side. "How is she, Ravenflight?"

Ravenflight looked up. "Her tail's stopped bleeding," he reported, "but I think she's in shock. Some cat needs to get Sandpelt."

"I'll go," Shadepaw muttered, heaving himself weakly to his paws. Tigerstar stood up. He shook his head firmly.

"No," he meowed, "I'll go. You lot need to rest. I have the strength of my five lives to support me. I'll get her."

Arrowstripe rose next, followed by Joey. Steadily, every cat but Ravenflight and his mate, who was still unconscious, was standing. Their eyes shone with anticipation as they waited for their leader to take them home. Tigerstar smiled despite himself, and ordered for Arrowstripe to help him carry Starshine back to camp.

"Tigerstar," Ravenflight mewed tentatively, "do you remember the prophecy Redtail gave you? About tiger defeating tiger?"

"Yes. Why?"

"I just realized it. It's been fulfilled."

Tigerstar turned to stare at his deputy curiously. "What?" he asked, a little sharper than he wanted to. Ravenflight didn't flinch back.

" 'Just as fire cannot consume fire, tiger cannot defeat tiger,' " he quoted fearlessly. "Tigerstar, because of your name, you are one of the tigers in the prophecy. Tigerheart is the other. You couldn't defeat Tigerheart, because you're both tigers."

"I thought it meant Tigerheart could never be defeated," Tigerstar meowed. Realization dawned on him. "But it didn't! It just meant that _I_ could never defeat him! The dogs did, though."

"You were never destined to kill Tigerheart," Ravenflight concluded. "None of us were. It was Tigerheart's destiny to be slain by his own malice: the dogs." He sighed with relief and gave a weak purr. "He's gone, Tigerstar, and he's never coming back."

**.-.  
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"Thank StarClan, you're back!" Frostfur rasped, surprising Tigerstar by licking his shoulder and pressing close to him. "We all felt so helpless just sitting here and listening to the dogs back and howl all morning. And you're all alive—oh, this is wonderful!"

"Frostfur, did something happen here?" Tigerstar asked, for the worrying scent of blood hung heavily in the air. Frostfur nodded, her mouth twitching up in a grin.

"Oh, yes, Tigerstar...Something _did_ happen."

Tigerstar's first thought was that somehow a small pup had broken away from its pack and found the rest of FourClan—and that Frostfur was only smiling because of total shock. But there was no dog-smell anywhere, only the scent of cats and milk. Wait...milk?

The dark tabby dipped his head to the white elder and crept through the undergrowth, following the blood. His pelt stood on end as he contemplated what it could possibly mean. Was...Did...Had...?

"Tigerstar," Sandpelt mewed, dipping her head in greeting. "I've been waiting for you to get back. I'd like to congratulate you. You are now the father of three healthy kits. Cloudpaw is with Honeypelt now. Be gentle, though. She had a difficult birth, so she's a little weak."

Tigerstar nodded and slipped down into the thickest tangle of brambles. The warm scent of milk greeted his curious sniff, and a tired voice meowed, "I'd know that big, scarred muzzle anywhere. Come in, Tigerstar. I want you to meet your children."

Honeypelt lay on a makeshift nest of bird down and moss, Cloudpaw curled up beside her. Three tiny kits suckled blindly at her belly, squeaking and mewling softly. The largest was a perfect copy of Tigerstar, with dark tabby fur and broad shoulders. He sniffed it. A she-kit. The second was the same as his mother, tawny of fur. But the third...

There was something hauntingly familiar about that ginger pelt and lean body. But he...couldn't...He didn't walk this forest anymore...

"The big tabby is Spiderkit," Honeypelt told him, nosing the kit. "This one is Dustkit." She tapped the tawny tom. "And this little ginger one is Firekit."

_Firekit...like in Firepaw, Fireheart, Firestar?_ "They're beautiful, Honeypelt," he meowed, touching her nose with his own. "Truly beautiful. How do you feel?"

"Not too bad," his mate replied drowsily. "Considering how hard Firekit fought. She was the last to be born, you know. Spiderkit was the first, then Dustkit. It's funny really...You would almost think that little Firekit was someone else's kit, wouldn't you? She doesn't look a thing like either of us."

_She looks like that kittypet, Firestar._ "But she _is_ ours. It's not like she was switched. There are no other nursing kits to confuse her with."

"No...I suppose you're right. But somehow, I don't feel like I'm this kit's true mother."

_I know what you mean. I don't feel like her father._ "If you like, you can rest here for the night and get your strength back before we move our kits to the camp. I'll stand guard myself over them."

"No, no...I'll come back with the rest of the Clan, Tigerstar. Don't worry about it."

Tigerstar licked her head gently. "I love you," he whispered. "I'll find you something to eat...how about a rabbit?"

"Thank you. I love you, too..."

Tigerstar left, a shiver rippling his fur. He couldn't get Firekit out of his mind. She looked exactly like Firestar did, only smaller. She had the narrow muzzle and round face of a kittypet. Her pelt was the same fire color, and he wouldn't be at all surprised if her eyes were that same peaceful, dark green. But did Honeypelt recognize this? Was that why she had chosen to call the young cat _Fire_kit?

_StarClan are up to something,_ Tigerstar thought darkly as he watched Nightfur bring in the prey he had caught. _Why else would such a kit be among my children?_

**.-.  
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"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath Greatshard for a Clan meeting!"

A week had passed since the dogs had met their fate at Snakerocks, and Tigerstar decided it was time. He had delayed for too long, but he felt it was only fair that the four apprentices go through the age-old ritual of assessment before receiving their warrior names. Ravenflight, Joey, and Arrowstripe sat below the Greatshard, looking just as excited as the four young cats sitting in front of them.

"I, Tigerstar, leader of FourClan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these four apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turns." He looked down at the excited apprentices. "Shadepaw, Leafpaw, Whitepaw, Cloudpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Shadepaw stood. His fur was still messy, as it always was, but it had lost its kit-fluff and become as sleek as a crow's wing. His green eyes blazed. "I do," he meowed clearly.

"I do," Leafpaw echoed. Her tabby pelt was glossy and its many dark stripes stood out against the golden background. Whitepaw was like a reflection in a puddle beside her, the only difference being her snowy paws.

"I do," she replied.

Cloudpaw smiled serenely up at Tigerstar. Her yellow eyes were calm as she nodded. Her thick, white fur made her look like a snowdrift on the dusty ground. "I do," she mewed.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names: Shadepaw, from this moment you will be known as Shadepool. StarClan honors your fighting spirit and your fierce loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of FourClan." He dropped down from the rocky spur and rested his muzzle on Shadepool's head. Shadepool, as coached by Ravenflight, licked his leader's shoulder. Tigerstar nodded respectfully to his newest warrior and moved down the line.

"Leafpaw, from this moment you will be known as Leafwhisper. StarClan honors your bravery and your agility, and we welcome you as a full warrior of FourClan." He repeated his actions to Leafwhisper, who acted as ritual dictated. Tigerstar moved along.

"Whitepaw, from this moment you will be known as Whitefoot. StarClan honors your bravery and your cool head, and we welcome you as a full warrior of FourClan."

"And finally, Cloudpaw has chosen a very special walk of life," Tigerstar announced happily. "After helping during Honeypelt's kitting, she decided that she would rather heal than hunt. Cloudpaw has decided to become apprentice medicine cat." Cats meowed in wonder. Cloudpaw's littermates turned to her with surprised looks, and Tigerstar guessed she had kept her wishes secret. "Cloudpaw, do you accept the post of apprentice to Sandpelt?"

Cloudpaw's eyes blazed happiness. "Yes!"

"Then at the half moon, you must travel to Mothermouth to be accepted by StarClan. But first, you deserve your warrior name." Amused purrs rippled through the crowd of cats. "Cloudpaw, from this moment you will be known as Cloudberry. StarClan honors your loyalty and your devotion, and we welcome you as a full warrior of FourClan."

Ravenflight, who had obviously told the former rogues how to respond, did not need to lead them into their part in the ceremony. "Shadepool! Leafwhisper! Whitefoot! Cloudberry!" the Clan yowled in unison. "Shadepool! Leafwhisper! Whitefoot! Cloudberry!"

"In the tradition of our warrior ancestors, Shadepool, Leafwhisper, Whitefoot, and Cloudberry must sit silent vigil over the camp tonight!" he continued. Cloudberry opened her mouth. "Yes, you too, Cloudberry. You were made a warrior tonight. However, we will feast in celebration first—not only of our new warriors, but also of our victory over the dog pack!"

Cheers rang through the air. FourClan had been too busy over the past week hunting, and healing their battered nerves and bodies. There hadn't been much time for celebration. Tigerstar gathered his newest warriors close. "I'm very proud of all four of you," he told them. "Shadepool, Leafwhisper, and Whitefoot, you proved yourselves by offering to lead the dogs. Cloudberry, you proved yourself by helping deliver my kits." His amber eyes gleamed with emotion. "For that, you have my gratitude. Enjoy your feast tonight. You deserve it."

The four young cats mewed their thanks and raced away, leaving Tigerstar feeling warm. He turned back to the cluster of bushes that was the nursery. Ducking his head to avoid being swatted across the nose by a branch, he slipped inside the warm, milky-smelling den. Honeypelt lifted her head. "I heard," she meowed.

"You knew about Cloudberry's wish, didn't you?" he asked. She nodded.

"She told me right before you came in and asked me to keep it a secret. I wasn't surprised. I've seen cats like her who run away when they see a kit poke its head out into the world. It's not a pretty sight."

"What did she do?"

"She was very curious about the whole thing and asked so many questions." Honeypelt licked Spiderkit tenderly. "Sandpelt answered them and sent her to fetch various herbs. Little Cloudpaw...Cloudberry seemed to fall in love with the idea of helping kits be born and everything about being a medicine cat."

Tigerstar nodded and crouched down to look closer at his kits. Everything about Spiderkit reminded him of himself: her dark tabby pelt, her wide shoulders, her stocky physique, her rich, thick fur. Dustkit echoed Honeypelt through and through: his golden-brown fur, his lean and limber body, his graceful legs. Firekit, though, was something else altogether: her slender muzzle, her thin face, her flaming ginger pelt. She was a misfit, looking like she belonged in Joey's litter rather than Tigerstar's.

"I know," Honeypelt murmured, catching her mate off-guard. "A queen can sense these things. We know when our kits are destined for greatness. We also know when they're some other cat."

"Is Firekit...?"

"Yes. Just as you thought," the voice of Sandpelt meowed behind him. "Firekit is your greatest foe reborn."

"So Firestar is dead."

The medicine cat shook her head. "StarClan sent me a vision when Firekit was born. I saw this Firestar you speak of crushed beneath a fallen tree. He lost a life right before he fled this forest, and that life is reborn in Firekit."

"But Firestar was a tomcat!" Honeypelt protested. Fishbelly snored loudly and rolled onto her back. The tawny she-cat dropped her voice to a whisper. "But Firestar was a tomcat," she repeated softer. Sandpelt nodded.

"He was. But StarClan has chosen his life to be reborn as a she-cat."

"You mean to tell me that I have just fathered my own enemy?" Tigerstar demanded angrily, his tail bristling. Sandpelt took a step back, shaking her head.

"_No_, Tigerstar. Firekit is _not_ your enemy. She is your daughter," she replied evenly. "The dog pack was only the beginning. Great dangers are about to befall FourClan, and Firekit was born to save us from them." Sandpelt sighed as she gazed at the ginger furball. "Firestar had a noble spirit, and loyalty that no cat expected from one of his birth. Firekit will possess these qualities."

"What danger is there?" Tigerstar asked nervously. "Will StarClan show us? Have they shown you?" Sandpelt shook her head again.

"No, only that this young kit is Firestar reborn."

Tigerstar sighed and bowed his head, accepting the will of StarClan. "If that is what StarClan wants of me, than I cannot refuse," he meowed gravely. "I will train Firekit myself to make sure that she becomes the best warrior there is." His eyes softened at the sight of the scrap of fur. "Though her spirit may be Firestar's, her blood is mine. She is...my daughter."

"_Our _daughter," Honeypelt corrected gently, nuzzling Firekit lovingly. Tigerstar nodded.

"_Our_ daughter."

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Tigerstar returned outside. Dusk was falling, shading the Clan camp with rich hues of lavender and orange. The air was heavy with the scent of wildflowers and the droning hum of bees as they purred from blossom to blossom. The dark tabby warrior breathed it all in peacefully, feeling content. Greenleaf was coming soon, and its richness made the forest explode with life. Four young cats sat at the entrance of the FourClan camp, glancing around and plainly trying not to speak. Warriors lounged around, idly sharing tongues and gossiping.

Overhead, the first few pricks of light from Silverpelt appeared, and the moon hung in the sky like a shining, silvery claw. Tigerstar focused on his ancestors' home, his amber eyes content. For the first time in moons, FourClan was safe and at peace. StarClan had granted him guardianship of the lost cats, and he had faced a great challenge without losing a single one of them—except, of course, for Tigerheart.

_Tigerheart._

Tigerstar wondered where the dark tabby warrior was now. Perhaps he was in that dark, mysterious, fungus-lit forest, sharing tongues with the cowardly Darkstripe. Tigerheart had never been one for being by himself. Maybe he and Darkstripe were keeping each other company as they walked the endless forest. That must be where he was. _Wherever Tigerheart is, it's what he deserves,_ the leader of FourClan thought calmly, not feeling the slightest bit of remorse for the traitor's gruesome death.

"Tigerstar," Ravenflight called from his place near the warriors' halfnest den. Tigerstar turned to see his black deputy curled up beside his mate. Starshine's tail was only slightly shorter than it had previously been, and her flanks were swelling with kits. "Come and sit with us!"

The dark tabby took the invitation and started to wash behind Ravenflight's ears. "You must be proud of Shadepool," he murmured. Ravenflight's tawny eyes gleamed. He nodded, jostling his former mentor's head.

"I am. He deserves to be a warrior after all he did."

"Tigerstar, you said that sometimes, a she-cat may have her role be solely to have kits?" Starshine asked. Tigerstar nodded. "I've been thinking it over, and I've talked with Frostfur. She says it's a great honor to raise kits for the Clan. And I think...I think that perhaps..._that_ is my destiny." Her yellow eyes glinted. "Tigerstar, I'd like to be a queen."

"It is a great honor," Tigerstar replied. "And I have no objection if that is what you truly wish to do. You and Fishbelly both have chosen that path. Unfortunately, there is not real ceremony for such a decision, but perhaps you'd prefer it that way." Starshine nodded. "Very well. Then that is what you shall be."

Ravenflight nuzzled his mate fondly, purring deep inside his chest. Tigerstar looked up again to Silverpelt. One star, small and dimmer than the others, fell away from the happy cluster and streaked through the sky like a bird in flight. The massive tabby watched in awe. Falling stars, especially from Silverpelt, were always the bearers of news, good and bad alike. It was only a matter of time.

A few heartbeats later, Redtail pressed up against Tigerstar. His words hung in the air long after his presence had vanished: _When darkness presses in on all sides, only fire can drive it back._

He shivered. So there would be a prophecy involved. Well, that couldn't be helped. As Tigerstar resumed washing Ravenflight's flank, he let him mind pass over the pleasant things in his life. FourClan was safe for now. The dogs were gone, and Tigerheart would never walk the forest again. He sighed contentedly and let greenleaf flow through him.

The sun dipped down over the moors and the last of its light faded from the forest. Tigerstar retreated to his den for sleep, happy that his Clan, his destiny, was alive and well. The forest became a wild playground for silver shadows as the creatures of the night went about their work. The air was cool and scented with new life.

Leaves rustled on branches as a late newleaf wind sang through the trees. It darted through the forest, racing over streams and caressing hilltops. It seemed to come to rest on a small, grassy clearing surrounded by thorn bushes. Wildflowers bloomed in the soft soil. A small gray mouse scurried through the grass, coming to stop at a strange rock. It was slightly porous and soft, with a few dark holes. She peeked inside, but seeing nothing interesting, departed.

The wind sprang up again, restless StarClan warriors patrolling their old territory. It stopped at the strange rock like the mouse had, and sang through the holes. The eerie music filled the air, hanging still after the wind had left to roam other land. Then, it faded, leaving nothing but an empty clearing and the skull of the cat formerly called Tigerheart.

**Tigerstar****: So...that's it?**

**Yep. It's time for the party! (gets out a big bowl of Fancy Feast, salsa, tortilla chips, balloons, and a boombox) WHOO!!!**

**Sasha****: You know, I'll miss FourClan's Perils.**

**Ravenflight****: Yeah, me too.**

**Starshine****: But Ruthie said there's another one coming! We'll just have to wait.**

**True dat, true dat. (turns to readers) All right, people! C'mon and join the party! We're throwing this for all the awesome people who reviewed, namely: Moletail, Nameless Nightmare, DarkPelt, Blackstar, Hawkfrost Lover954, Emerald Griffon, Steeltalon, ForceStar, Stelmaria of the Tigers, Spottedstar, willowheart, Strangefur, and Some Random Person!! ****And by the way, yes, I did recycle the ending for Shaded Promises there. I really liked that ending, and since nobody read that story, I figured I should put it in a place where people **_**would**_** read it.**


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